Arguably more than any massive transformational technological epoch, AI has required more scrutiny of its ethical implications because of its breadth, real or perceived lack of explainability, and the uniquely dramatic impact it can have on people’s daily lives. But ultimately, when we talk about ethics in AI, so often what we’re really talking about is power—who wields it, who doesn’t, and what that means for humanity. Power in AI, it turns out, amplifies all of the power structures (and disempowerment structures) that already exist in business, government, and society. Through the lens of power, we’ve found fresh insight for ourselves that we hope translates to the page, for you the reader.
At the Common Good in the Digital Age tech conference recently held in Vatican City, Pope Francis urged Facebook executives, venture capitalists, and government regulators to be wary of the impact of AI and other technologies. “If mankind’s so-called technological progress were to become an enemy …
Bipartisanship in modern politics can seem kind of like an unbelievable, mythical creature. But in recent months, as Congress considered regulation of one of the most controversial topics it faces — how, when, or if to use facial recognition — we’ve gotten glimpses of a political unicorn. In two …
The immense capabilities artificial intelligence is bringing to the world would have been inconceivable to past generations. But even as we marvel at the incredible power these new technologies afford, we’re faced with complex and urgent questions about the balance of benefit and harm. When most …
Stanislav Petrov is not a famous name in the computer science space, like Ada Lovelace or Grace Hopper, but his story serves as a critical lesson for developers of AI systems. Petrov, who passed away on May 19, 2017, was a lieutenant colonel in the Soviet Union’s Air Defense Forces. On September …
Filing a patent is the clerical equivalent of pulling teeth — at least in the U.S. It first requires inventors to determine the type of intellectual property (IP) protection they require (i.e., utility, design, or plant). Then they’re on the hook to conduct a United States Patent and Trademark …
Richard Bartle is one of the leading academics on video games and is a senior lecturer and honorary professor of computer game design at the University of Essex in the United Kingdom. He might seem an unusual choice to talk about the ethics of artificial intelligence, but video game developers have …
• My name is John. • My name is John Connor, and I live at 19,828 Almond Avenue, Los Angeles. • My name is John Connor, I live at 19,828 Almond Avenue, Los Angeles, and my California police record J-66455705 lists my supposedly expunged juvenile convictions for vandalism, trespassing, and shoplifting. Which …
When it comes to AI’s role in making online content, Kristin Tynski, VP of digital marketing firm Fractl, sees an opportunity to boost creativity. But a recent experiment in AI-generated content left her a bit shaken. Using publicly available AI tools and about an hour of her time, Tynski created a …
Arguably more than any massive transformational technological epoch, AI has required more scrutiny of its ethical implications because of its breadth, real or perceived lack of explainability, and the uniquely dramatic impact it can have on people’s daily lives. But ultimately, when we talk about ethics in AI, so often what we’re really talking about is power — who wields it, who doesn’t, and what that means for humanity. Power can be won, or taken away. Power can be given, or taken back. And power in AI, it turns out, amplifies all of the power structures (and disempowerment structures) that already exist in business, government, and society. Through the lens of power, we’ve found fresh insight for ourselves that we hope translates to the page, for you the reader.
Twitter proposes flagging deepfakes, but would only remove content that threatens harm As AI grows, users deserve tools to limit its access to personal data From black box to white box: Reclaiming human power in AI (Sponsored) Subscribe to the AI channel for news, analysis, and insight Check your email …