This week in light of the ongoing debates and discussion over the impact of Generative AI on work, society, and humanity I am publishing a re-edit of an interview from 2019 with John C Havens, the Executive Director of The IEEE Global Initiative on AI Ethics and their Sustainability Practice Lead

John is a highly respected thought leader on artificial intelligence and ethics and the author of Heartificial Intelligence and Hacking Happiness. Long before AI entered our mainstream discourse John was working on the big ethical questions around AI.

Although recorded in 2019 the issues we discuss are more pertinent today than they were then, including the negative externalities of technology; what we define as metrics of success for AI; the limits of exponential growth and innovation; finding a more human alternative to GDP; prioritizing human and ecological wellbeing; personal data monetization, control, and privacy; changing economic paradigm in the purpose-driven world; and John’s vision for a more sustainable future society.