Thinking Machines and the Future of Humanity
Setup
Within our lifetimes, AI will, by design, begin to behave unpredictably, thinking and acting in ways which defy human logic. Big tech companies may be inadvertently building and enabling vast arrays of intelligent systems that don't share our motivations, desires, or hopes for the future of humanity. Is it too late to change course and realize a human-centered future for artificial intelligence?
- 2019 Festival
- Technology
- Education
- Arts
- Economy
- Society
The US and China: different mindsets, different futures
Chinese and US companies dominate AI technologies in the present and are set to control their future, says Future Today Institute CEO Amy Webb. But the idiosyncrasies of these two innovation powerhouses are resulting in dramatically different visions for the future of humanity’s relationship with AI. Webb explains these differences, and why they matter:
Who owns your face?
Artificial intelligence technologies are ravenous for data — the more data they can gather, the more effective they are. Amy Webb warns that we haven’t grappled with fundamental questions about our relationship to AI and data, and that we’re facing existential uncertainty as AI data collection works its way deeper into our lives.
What do you think?
The answer to “Who owns your face?” should be obvious, says Webb, but the rise of facial recognition software has complicated that question. What rights do individuals have to their own data when they walk through a store that utilizes facial recognition, for example? Webb says these are the sorts of questions about data collection that we, as a society, are ignoring.
Should everyone get a “digital dividend?”
Amy Webb has a radical proposal to create what she calls a “digital dividend.” Her idea is to use blockchain and a collective pot of earnings to give everyone a cut of the money that tech companies are making through data collection:
Wal-Mart shopping carts and the nuance of AI integration
Would you use a Wal-Mart shopping cart outfitted with a biometric reader? The reader, in the handle of the cart, transmits the shopper’s vitals to in-store employees. Wal-Mart officials think this technology will make for a better shopping experience. It will also make the big box store more money (which is why they’re developing it). Amy Webb says there are inherent problems in this model.
There may be a place for biometric shopping carts in our society, but Webb thinks the financial incentives behind AI technologies are rushing the profound conversations needed while developing such a technology.
The brains behind AI are homogenous, and that’s a problem
Although modest gains towards diversity have been made in recent years, the workforce developing AI technologies is overwhelmingly white and male. And most graduated from the same cadre of universities. Amy Webb suggests a compelling case for diversity in the AI technology workforce:
This excerpt has been lightly edited for clarity
-
Amy Webb: The people who built the [TSA screening technology] weren’t people who were familiar with enormous hair, or weaves, or bras with underwire...The system wasn’t trained to recognize me. Why? Because somebody like me wasn’t in the room when the data set was built, when the algorithms to use that data were built, when the testing was done, and when the learning was done. That entire chain of decision-making excluded me, which now means that when I go through this stupid machine at the airport I can expect someone to get very familiar with me. That’s a small inconvenience. We could probably spend three hours going through serious infractions in the criminal justice system, and [discover] serious ways in which this is being used to really hurt people.
Learn More
Additional Information
Resources
Here’s the clearest picture of Silicon Valley’s diversity yet — Reveal
"The Big Nine: How the Tech Titans and Their Thinking Machines Could Warp Humanity" by Amy Webb
Explore More
Technology
Young people in America are struggling. The causes are varied and may not be entirely clear, but the results are unfortunately unmistakable. Many of our youth feel lonely, iso...
New technologies have always led to changes in society, though not always as quickly or drastically as people feared. Could artificial intelligence be different? Instead of le...
October is National Book Month, and we’re celebrating by looking back at some of our favorite conversations about reading and writing from the Aspen Ideas Festival and Aspen I...
Friends, partners, children, families, coworkers — these connections profoundly shape our lives, and even in the best of times, navigating them takes real work. It also means...
New York Times columnist and bestselling author David Brooks is known for bringing his thoughtful reflections on politics and culture, but at this year’s Aspen Ideas Festival,...
Jump in by watching our 15 most popular talks of all time. From black holes to jazz and civil rights to psychology hacks, we've collected the talks that remain audience favori...
Finding the national and global headlines understandably bleak lately? Whether you need mental distraction or stimulation, engross yourself in compelling topics and get a gli...
The United States spends $4.3 trillion—almost one fifth of the nation’s GDP—on health care. As the scale of the medical enterprise expands, venture capitalists are pursuing th...
Today's kids are coming of age against a backdrop of political, social, technological and economic upheaval. While these circumstances are shaping a precocious generation that...
Hope seems like a simple concept, but the feeling can be difficult to hold onto. And when times are difficult and chaos swirls around us, it’s more important than ever. How do...
Advocates, healthcare providers, legislators, researchers, and venture capitalists are bringing the unique health needs of women to light – from vigorous policy debates on iss...
Everywhere you look, there’s a headline about the power of artificial intelligence and how it will impact our lives in ways we have not yet imagined. From advancing medicine t...
Ethical dilemmas, stakeholder pressure, building trust — leading organizations requires wisdom and stamina from the top. Who wouldn’t want some advice?
What makes us happy — really? How can we raise resilient and empathetic children? What does it mean to be truly connected in our increasingly digital world? Can we re-instill...
Where will artificial intelligence be in five years, or 10 or 20? What happens if the technology is regulated? And if it isn’t? How will it shape the world and the way we live...
In a time of growing wealth disparity and changing societal values, can capitalism adapt? How is the economy being transformed by investments in infrastructure, AI, energy, an...
The arts are not just forms of expression, but powerful forces that shape culture and the human experience, both reflecting and influencing our world. Join renowned artists, w...
Whether they publicly tout it or not, U.S. technology companies play a powerful role in politics, cultural issues and the way we live. Founder and investor Peter Thiel is one...
Our need for human connection is profound and deep. Yet, today, one in two adults are living with measurable levels of loneliness – and the numbers are even higher among young...
Conflict and suffering can bring out the worst in people, but it can also bring out the best. This is one of the lessons New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof has learned...
