Your Undivided Attention

Can We Govern AI?

Apr 21, 2023

This podcast explores the need for regulations in the tech industry, particularly in relation to AI. It discusses the challenges of governing AI and emphasizes the importance of addressing potential harms caused by technology. The guest, Marietje Schaake, highlights the EU's AI Act as a potential model for regulation. They also discuss the need for regulations in social media, the role of 21st-century governance models, and the opportunities for new approaches in the AI industry.

39:47

Creator website

AI Summary

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Regulation of AI is crucial to protect individuals from the power of tech companies and governments, ensuring public health, safety, and the common good.

Regulating AI presents unique challenges due to its proprietary nature, lack of accessibility to information, and the constantly evolving and personalized experiences it offers.

Deep dives

The Need for Regulation and its Purpose

Regulation is essential to establish a level playing field and ensure the protection of individuals from the power of both technology companies and governments. It is not intended to solely impede companies or stifle innovation but rather to safeguard public health, safety, and the common good. Regulations such as antitrust and competition laws assist in preventing the abuse of market power. The EU has implemented significant regulations in areas like data protection, which aims to safeguard individuals' data rights. The Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act specifically address content moderation, trust, disinformation, and the market power concerns posed by tech giants.

The Unique Challenge of Regulating AI for Safety

00:58

Regulating AI in the Interest of Freedom and Minority Rights

00:30

The Power of Enforcers

00:55

Introduction

2min

The Importance of Regulations in the Tech Industry

23min

Exploring Audrey Tang's Digital Democracy and the Challenges of 21st-century Governance

2min

Regulations and Responsibilities in the AI Industry

10min

The Importance of Regulating Social Media and AI

2min

When it comes to AI, what kind of regulations might we need to address this rapidly developing new class of technologies? What makes regulating AI and runaway tech in general different from regulating airplanes, pharmaceuticals, or food? And how can we ensure that issues like national security don't become a justification for sacrificing civil rights?

Answers to these questions are playing out in real time. If we wait for more AI harms to emerge before proper regulations are put in place, it may be too late.

Our guest Marietje Schaake was at the forefront of crafting tech regulations for the EU. In spite of AI’s complexity, she argues there is a path forward for the U.S. and other governing bodies to rein in companies that continue to release these products into the world without oversight.

Correction: Marietje said antitrust laws in the US were a century ahead of those in the EU. Competition law in the EU was enacted as part of the Treaty of Rome in 1957, almost 70 years after the US.

RECOMMENDED MEDIA

The AI Dilemma

Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin’s presentation on existing AI capabilities and the catastrophic risks they pose to a functional society. Also available in the podcast format (linked below)

The Wisdom Gap

This blog post from the Center for Humane Technology describes the gap between the rising interconnected complexity of our problems and our ability to make sense of them

The EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) & Digital Markets Act (DMA)

The two pieces of legislation aim to create safer and more open digital spaces for individuals and businesses alike

RECOMMENDED YUA EPISODES

Digital Democracy is Within Reach with Audrey Tang

The AI Dilemma

The Three Rules of Humane Tech

Your Undivided Attention is produced by the Center for Humane Technology. Follow us on Twitter: @HumaneTech_