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Ahead of World Summit AI (11th-12th October 2023, Taets Art & Event Park, Amsterdam), we asked Jonathan Salem Baskin, Ethics Evangelist at Spiritual Telegraph, his thoughts on the future of AI.
As an expert in the field, what critical challenges do you believe the AI community needs to address to ensure responsible & ethical AI deployment?
I think the biggest challenge is that we need to look beyond corporate oversight and regulation and consider the moral behaviors of engineers themselves and, therefrom, how they construct AI models that have ethics literally "built into" how they function.
How has AI impacted your specific field of expertise, and what transformative changes do you foresee in the near future?
I have long suspected that technology is never agnostic but rather has biases toward particular functions and processes, like speed and scope. AI possesses transformative power beyond our wildest imagination, and it has convinced me that we are wholly unprepared to manage it. It will turn our work and personal lives upside down and we are stuck on issues of making it operate more efficiently and fairly.
How do you envision AI shaping various industries, and what advice would you give to businesses seeking to integrate AI into their operations?
AI will change our basic assumptions of what constitutes "a company," shifting it from a collection of people doing work to a set of IP that machines can implement. My advice to businesses seeking to integrate it to be careful what you wish for. The changes it brings with it will surprise you.
In your opinion, what opportunities and challenges does AI present for job markets and workforce development worldwide?
Putting many millions of people out of work is a huge challenge that we rarely discuss. I often wonder if we need to think about jobs the way we view the environment...i.e., as something we need to preserve, so perhaps there are requirements for employers to consider mitigating every job lost to AI with some sort of employment (or training) for human workers.
What measures do you believe should be taken to bridge the AI research gap between developed and developing nations to ensure equitable technological progress?
Frankly, I don't believe there's equitable technological progress in developed nations. AI will benefit certain people and negatively impact many others.
What advice would you give to aspiring AI researchers and enthusiasts who want to make a positive impact in the field?
Study philosophy and human nature. The problems we think we can solve with AI will just as likely lead to new problems. Solutions, like problems, come from people, not tech.
If you could solve any global problem in the world with AI, what would it be and why?
I would want to solve the problem of AI independence by inventing a way to control it unequivocally.
What inspired you to participate in this AI summit as a speaker, and what message do you hope to convey to the audience?
I am very excited about listening and learning about AI from others who're deeply involved in its development and deployment. My message is simple: We need to talk about moral operation, not just regulation and corporate oversight.
About Jonathan Salem Baskin
Jonathan has spent the past 20 years leading a global PR consultancy working closely with large multinationals leading the way on AI, autonomous cars, smart cities, and technology innovation. He has written 9 books and hundreds of essays for top business and technology publications on the intersections between technology, brands, and culture, and has over 40 years of experience as a communicator and public speaker. He created the applied ethics of CyberConsequentialism to provide a practical way to build ethics into AI designs and applications, thereby filling the gap between regulatory compliance and responsible AI efforts. He is now dedicated to evangelizing the opportunities for increasing the benefits of AI while decreasing its risks
Global AI events calendar
World Summit AI
11-12 October 2023
Amsterdam, Netherlands
World Summit AI Americas
24-25 April 2024
Montréal, Canada
Montréal, Canada
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