The Use of Imperfect Tools in Defending Power

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This chapter explores how individuals in the AI industry, including the head of research platform at OpenAI, have supported the Israeli military and government's actions, and the lack of pushback within the tech world. It also discusses the discomfort felt by Muslim and Arab colleagues in the tech community to speak out, and the tech industry's involvement in the Israeli apartheid and occupation.

Paris Marx is joined by Timnit Gebru to discuss the past year in AI hype, how AI companies have shaped regulation, and tech’s relationship to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.

Timnit Gebru is the founder and executive director of the Distributed AI Research Institute.

Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the show on Patreon.

The podcast is produced by Eric Wickham. Transcripts are by Brigitte Pawliw-Fry.

Also mentioned in this episode:

Paris is speaking in Montreal on January 20. Details here.
Billy Perrigo reported on OpenAI lobbying to water down the EU’s AI Act.
Nitasha Tiku wrote about the push to train students in a particular idea of AI.
Politico has been doing a lot of reporting on the influences on AI policy in the US and UK.
OpenAI made a submission in the UK to try to get permission to train on copyrighted material.
Arab workers in the tech industry fear the consequences of speaking out for Palestinian rights.
972 Magazine reported on Israel’s use of AI to increase its targets in Gaza.
Jack Poulson chronicles the growing ties between military and tech.
Timnit mentioned No Tech for Apartheid, Antony Loewenstein’s The Palestine Laboratory, and Malcolm Harris’ Palo Alto.