The Monocle Daily Special edition: Answering Life’s Big Questions – Technology
Apr 16, 2025
Noortje Marres, a professor specializing in science, technology, and society at the University of Warwick, dives into the fascinating world of AI. She discusses whether AI is designed to assist us or potentially replace human roles. Marres highlights the paradox of AI creating more jobs despite fears of automation taking over. Additionally, she advocates for community involvement in AI governance, urging a reevaluation of its societal impacts while warning about the risks of diminishing social diversity due to technological predictability.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
AI Creates Hidden Human Labor
- AI is commonly framed as machines replacing human tasks, but in practice, it creates a lot of new, often invisible, human labor.
- Much AI work is done by people annotating data worldwide, notably in less visible roles in the global south.
AI Needs Human Support
- AI automation can benefit diverse users, including those not tech-literate, showing broad impact.
- AI systems require extensive preparation and human support, contradicting the idea of autonomy and ease.
AI Governance Needs Broader Voices
- AI governance heavily depends on AI scientists' perspectives, sidelining lived user experiences and societal impacts.
- The pervasiveness of AI in daily life demands political and personal choices about its acceptance and control.