Artificial Intelligence Ethicology (WILL A.I. CRASH OUT?) with Abeba Birhane
May 8, 2025
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In this lively discussion, Abeba Birhane, a cognitive scientist and AI ethics expert from Trinity College, tackles the hot topic of artificial intelligence's impact on society. She dives into the ethical implications of AI job displacement and the need for inclusivity in tech. The conversation spins through the humorous side of rude chatbots and the curious gender dynamics in AI voices. Abeba emphasizes the risk of AI reinforcing societal biases and the urgent necessity for regulation. Plus, bacon ice cream makes a cameo!
The ethical implications of AI necessitate a decolonized approach that incorporates diverse, marginalized perspectives for fairer development.
While AI may displace some jobs, it often evolves roles towards supervision and human interaction rather than complete replacement.
AI technologies pose significant environmental concerns due to high energy consumption, highlighting the need for sustainable practices in their development.
Deep dives
The Importance of Human Connection
Showing up for others during tough times can greatly impact their day, and services like Uber are positioned to facilitate this by providing timely support for both large and small needs. The emphasis here is on the power of presence, whether it be picking someone up after a tough day or delivering a comforting meal. This highlights the role of such services in not just transportation but in enhancing emotional well-being by allowing people to be where they are needed most. It underscores a growing recognition that our connections and support systems can be bolstered through technology.
Understanding AI Ethically
The ethical implications of artificial intelligence (AI) are critically examined, focusing on issues like representation, bias, and data ethics in AI development. The conversation delves into the need for a decolonized approach to computational sciences, where diverse perspectives, particularly from marginalized communities, are taken into account to ensure fairness and equity. An example discussed includes the challenges faced by researchers in ensuring that AI systems do not perpetuate the biases present in their training data, which often comes from unregulated digital sources. This highlights the importance of ethical frameworks that prioritize human values in the creation and implementation of AI.
Cognitive Science and Its Relevance to AI
Cognitive science encompasses various disciplines aimed at understanding human thought and behavior, blending insights from fields like psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy. This multidisciplinary approach emphasizes that cognition is not limited to the brain; it is influenced by physical bodies, social contexts, and cultural history. The speaker proposes that our understanding of intelligence—particularly in relation to AI—must acknowledge these broader embodied aspects. This perspective challenges traditional views of cognition and encourages discussions on how AI systems can be developed to reflect more accurate human-like understanding.
Job Market Dynamics in an AI World
Concerns about job displacement due to AI are prevalent, yet the reality may be more nuanced, with many roles evolving rather than disappearing. While AI can automate tasks, human oversight is often necessary to ensure quality and reliability in outputs. The conversation highlights that while some jobs may shift to more administrative or supervisory roles in relation to AI, there will still be a demand for human interaction and critical thinking. This indicates a potential future where AI acts as a tool to augment human capabilities rather than completely replace human workers.
Environmental Impact of AI Technologies
The environmental implications of AI technologies reveal significant concerns, especially regarding energy consumption and resource utilization. Generative AI systems like ChatGPT are reported to consume substantially more energy compared to traditional computing, raising questions about their environmental footprint. The discussion also highlights the additional resource demands, such as water for cooling data centers, that exacerbate the overall impact on the environment. This underscores the necessity for more sustainable practices and regulatory frameworks to mitigate the ecological consequences associated with the increasing reliance on AI technologies.
Who’s babysitting AI? Will it steal your job? What happens when you’re rude to a chatbot? Cognitive scientist, Trinity College professor and Artificial Intelligence Ethicologist Dr. Abeba Birhane lets me ask her not-smart questions about legislation around AI, auditing datasets, environmental impacts, booby traps, doorbell narcs, commonly used fallacies, how the “godfathers’ of AI feel about their creation, robots doing your homework, and and whether or not AI is actually the root of all evil. Also: bacon ice cream and why Siri is a girl.
