Implications of AI

I encourage everyone to view and seriously consider the recent two-hour Frontline special on artificial intelligence. The program does a great job of exploring the wide impact AI will have. The positive and negative changes that are coming will seriously challenge our assumptions about how things work. The program covers international competition for developing these new technologies (U.S. and China), the likely impact of AI and related technologies (robotics) on job opportunities, and how AI will impact wealth disparity as new developments further advantage the advantaged because capital will have an ever increasing impact relative to personal skills and accomplishments.

When I read about and buy in to the reality of disruptive change, I immediately wonder what role education must play. I see education as providing a mechanism not only capable of developing skills and dispositions suited to new circumstances, but also to necessary changes in values. My existing liberal perspective already encourages a sensitivity to justice and equity issues. This documentary argues that the disruptions we are now facing (AI, climate change) only increase the damage to legitimate equal opportunity. Our assumptions about government will also need to adjust. Unfettered capitalism may be great for encouraging innovation, but the level of innovation that is coming will require oversight to protect large segments of the present population.

I am not arguing that AI applications should be avoided. This makes little sense. I do think we have learned that powerful technology innovations have unforeseen and even foreseen but ignored negative consequences we have not taken seriously. The issue is whether we have the collective will to address negative consequences and how this collective support will be directed.

The Nightline special involved several authors I have read and influenced my thinking in the last year or two. There is some reassurance in seeing others rely on the ideas of perspectives I have already found to be persuasive. I intend to create another post recommending a small number of books that develop some of the ideas explored in this special. Start with this Nightline special and you may find that some of these books are worth your time.