AI at WEF - Part 3: Where is AI going?
This post is the third in a series of three articles written with personal reflections on AI's development, inspired after the "World Economic Forum - AI Governance Summit” in San Francisco in Nov '23
In the whirlwind of technological advancements, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), it's a common feeling that technology is racing ahead without us - without “adult supervision”
It's crucial to remember however, that all technology (including AI) is a product of human creation - at least for the time being.
This underscores that we, as creators and users, have the power to make choices about how technology evolves and integrates into our lives.
We have some major choices to make
Picture: AI discussions at the “World Economic Forum AI Governance Summit” in San Francisco in November 2023
The Challenge of Alignment
AI/Human Alignment: The discourse around AI often revolves around the concept of AI/human alignment, suggesting that these are fundamentally at odds and must be reconciled. That unless machines are aligned with human values, they cause us harm
This perspective overlooks a critical aspect: the complexity of aligning humans and human values in the first place
Andrew NG had a great tweet the other day, noting how it is sometimes much easier to align a Machine with Human Values than it is to align a Human (a toddler in his case) with Human Values
AI is promising significant value across a large number of areas and use-cases. To sum these up however, I think we can identify three main pillars:
Human Knowledge at Scale: AI presents the opportunity to expand human knowledge on an unprecedented scale. It can process, analyze, and disseminate information far beyond the capacity of any individual, thereby augmenting our collective understanding and wisdom.
Human Capabilities at Scale: AI has the potential to enhance human capabilities, allowing us to achieve more than what's possible with our inherent biological limitations. This scalability of capabilities can lead to significant advancements in various fields, from medicine to environmental conservation.
Human Experience at Scale: AI can also enrich human experience, offering personalized and enhanced interactions in various aspects of life, from education to entertainment. This scaling of experience can (hopefully) lead to a more informed, engaged, and fulfilled society, if we only manage to expand the Human Experience (be it sensory, intellectually, or otherwise) beyond what it is today.
Conclusion
As we stand at the cross-roads of AI integration, it's imperative that we make active, informed choices. These choices should not be binary; AI is not simply a matter of intelligence versus no intelligence, abundance versus scarcity, or trust versus distrust. Instead, the evolution of AI is about increasing the amount and quality of intelligence, abundance, and trust in the world.
The complexity and rapid pace of technological advancement make it tempting to choose the simpler path, to say, "Stop, I want to get off this train." While this may seem like the easier option, it's a disservice to the potential benefits that responsibly managed AI can bring. The difficulty of advancing technology responsibly should not be an excuse to stagnate or regress.
What worries me though, is the huge knowledge gap which currently exists between decision makers and technology experts
This gap is showing no evidence of decreasing, but rather the opposite
AI represents a technology of active adaptation, constantly evolving to better fit the world around it. As such, our approach to AI should mirror this adaptability. The choices we make today will shape not only the future of AI but the future of humanity itself.
Embracing AI's potential while consciously shaping its trajectory offers a path to a more intelligent, abundant, and trustworthy world. The discussions and debate at the WEF AI Governance Summit reinforced this perspective, urging us to engage with AI not as passive observers but as active, responsible shapers of a technology that has the potential to redefine our world.
About Author: I work at the intersection of frontier technology and its commercial application
After training as a robotics engineer, I spent nearly a decade as a consultant working on strategy development for global corporations and startups
I now work in Industrial AI, pushing to identify the commercial value and operating models of technological developments as they occur
You can also find me and more of my thinking on: LinkedIn, Twitter, Website