Ahead of World Summit AI (11th-12th October 2023, Taets Art & Event Park, Amsterdam), we asked Silvio Dulinsky, Deputy Secretary-General, International Organization for Standardization, his thoughts on the future of AI.
As experts in the field, what critical challenges do you believe the AI community needs to address to ensure responsible & and ethical AI deployment?
Privacy and Respect: Respecting Ownership and Intent of Training Data
This includes respecting the private and sensitive information of individuals, as well as copyrighted material, used to train AI models. Ownership and original intent of data must be maintained. This is a fundamental consideration with massive implications for how AI will be used going forward.
Unintended Consequences & Accountability
Thought must be given to the long-term impact of AI on society, culture, behavior and ethics. In its efforts to advance advancing innovation and capabilities, the AI community should be aware of potential unintended consequences. Contingency planning and governance mechanisms should be developed in parallel with, or closely following, advances in AI. Lack of accountability for unexpected outcomes could undermine progress and public trust over time. International standards play an important role as the interface between the opportunities presented by AI and society’s expectations.
How has AI impacted your specific field of expertise, and what transformative changes do you foresee in the near future?
Applications of LLMs in Text Processing
Tools like ChatGPT and Google Bart are useful for tasks requiring text processing. They also serve as a starting point for preliminary research and refining initial ideas. At ISO, we are testing advanced AI applications in our standards development processes and for the dissemination of standards to consumers.
I expect to see AI tools become widely integrated in both professional and personal internet use, as is already the case with certain industries. I would encourage schools and workplaces to embrace the use of AI tools to augment the user experience. Accessible user interfaces make training and integration relatively simple across ages, languages and backgrounds. Wider adoption seems likely in the near future.
How do you envision AI shaping various industries, and what advice would you give to businesses seeking to integrate AI into their operations?
Certain industries, including media and financial services, can expect more disruption in the short term. In any case, all businesses should prepare their game plan – mapping out their processes and identifying pain points across specific tasks. This will facilitate a clear understanding of where AI can be integrated into their operations. Once you have pinpointed compelling use cases, you can then identify the right tools for quick wins. At ISO, we are developing standards to provide guidance on AI use cases as well as industry-specific guidance in such areas as health informatics.
In your opinion, what opportunities and challenges does AI present for job markets and workforce development worldwide?
New employment opportunities will emerge to develop, train and manage AI and it`s applications in businesses. It also has the potential to automate repetitive tasks and dangerous jobs that present high risk for humans. , Inversely, AI automation may replace many of the employees in the existing workforce as a measure of cost saving. In such cases, industries and governments must ensure mechanisms are in place to train and upskill the workforces to avoid systemic unemployment. AI, like any other powerful technology, can be a double-edged sword. A concerted global effort is needed to tailor AI development towards solving existing problems rather than creating new ones.
Can you share an example of an AI application or project that has personally impressed you, and explain why it stands out?
I think the most impactful AI technology to emerge recently has been chatbots like ChatGPT. It kick-started the explosion of AI applications now accessible to the general public. While certainly not a perfect tool, its impact has been massive. ChatGPT created intrigue and stimulated dialogue around AI capabilities. While machine learning and AI were already used behind the scenes, and recognized as advanced fields of computer science, ChatGPT demonstrated how such techniques could be scaled and their potential showcased to wider audiences, in record-breaking time. . It achieved this through an intuitive, easy-to-use and accessible interface. In fact, ChatGPT may be the very reason we are now able to convene international experts, users and developers from across disciplines at a global summit such as this one.
What measures do you believe should be taken to bridge the AI research gap between developed and developing nations to ensure equitable technological progress?
To avoid a massive divide between the "haves" and "have nots," we must first take a step back. Billions of people globally still lack proper internet access . While innovation and cutting-edge technology are important, the meaning and benefits are lost if only a few can take advantage. We need diverse expertise from various geographies, industries and AI specialists involved in the standard-setting process, with the participation of all stakeholders across the ecosystem. Industry leaders and governments must ensure this level of inclusion.
Next, education, training and upskilling are required. People must understand what AI is, how to maximize its uses, and recognize potential downsides. Free and open online learning initiatives and tools are a great step. Finally, businesses that foster workforce learning and development are poised to leverage AI's longer-term multifaceted advantages — benefiting not just companies but societies and individuals alike.
What 2 people do you admire most in the world of AI in terms of their work?
Andrew Ng - While Andrew Ng is massively influential in the fields of machine learning and AI, what is truly admirable about him is his effort to make cutting-edge technologies accessible to the masses through education. The impact of Coursera and MOOCs has enabled aspiring learners around the world to access top-quality education. He has continued this mission with Deeplearning.AI. When industry leaders take such ambitious steps to promote educational outreach on a global scale, it meaningfully expands who can benefit from advances in AI.
Judea Pearl was first a pioneering computer scientist who developed some of the fundamental building blocks of AI that we utilize today. Moreover, his seminal work on causality and causal inference has impacted fields well beyond computer science. He is also something of a philosopher, seeking to question and push forward deliberations around AI's future potential implications. Important discussions are needed regarding not just how AI is developed but also its philosophical direction. In this way, Pearl is helping to drive those vital conversations.
What advice would you give to aspiring AI researchers and enthusiasts who want to make a positive impact in the field?
The answer is simple: Identify a problem, develop a solution. AI is quite broad and the most positive impact one can make is by addressing a specific challenge or pain point. Always try to discuss and debate about the use cases and ethical considerations. A positive outcome for AI won’t simply happen – we need to steer towards it. This requires us to advance its responsible and ethical development, underpinned by international, cross-sectoral cooperation. AI’s capabilities shouldn’t be defined only by what is technically possible, but also by what society needs and expects.
If you could solve any global problem in the world with AI, what would it be and why?
I would love to see applications of AI help solve the problem of climate change. Climate change poses a very real and urgent threat globally. Its effects are being felt worldwide in increasingly devastating ways. AI could have many useful applications for monitoring and measuring various climate metrics. This data could then be used to predict environmental crises, develop contingencies, or devise strategic plans for mitigation. AI applications also hold promise for optimizing highly localized mechanisms to manage resource utilization or emissions control in tailored ways. Definitely, there are other applications of AI that have yet to be identified. This presents an exciting phase of exploration into how AI can be leveraged to positively impact and help solve major global problems.
What inspired you to participate in this AI summit as a speaker, and what message do you hope to convey to the audience?
The AI Summit is a great platform for experts, researchers, developers, enthusiasts and users of AI to come together to share, explore and deliberate on what AI is and what it can be. These discussions are crucial as AI gets more and more intertwined with our everyday lives. The stage for multistakeholder interaction is always beneficial for the direction of AI development. The future of AI is filled with opportunity, but we must advance with foresight and responsibility. I look forward to learning and exchanging ideas with the AI community on our global efforts to create a common future.
Global AI events calendar
World Summit AI
11-12 October 2023
Amsterdam, Netherlands
World AI Week
9-13 October 2023
Amsterdam, Netherlands
World Summit AI Americas
24-25 April 2024
Montréal, Canada
Intelligent Health
11-12 September 2024
Basel, Switzerland
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