The peril (and promise) of AI with Tristan Harris: Part 2
Feb 29, 2024
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In this discussion, Tristan Harris, Co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology, raises alarms about the ethical implications of artificial intelligence. He explores how AI can undermine trust in media, with technology capable of manipulating information and creating convincing forgeries. Harris emphasizes the urgent need for responsible AI development to combat misinformation and protect societal trust. He also highlights the importance of new regulations and collaborative efforts to ensure the safe deployment of AI and reflect on its profound impact on our daily lives.
AI can create perfect forgeries, eroding societal trust in videos and signatures.
Addressing perverse incentives in AI development is crucial to prioritize safety over speed.
Deep dives
AI Advancements and Trust Breakdown
The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) poses risks like the breakdown of trust in society due to the potential for perfect forgeries. Tristan Harris highlights how AI capabilities, including generative AI, could create realistic but fake videos, signatures, and calls, undermining truth and evidence. Urgent calls are made to address the risks associated with AI's exponential growth and its potential impact on societal trust.
Incentives and Liability in AI Development
Tristan Harris emphasizes the importance of addressing perverse incentives in AI development that prioritize speed over safety. Drawing parallels to past regulatory oversights with social media, he advocates for introducing liability for harms caused by AI technologies to incentivize responsible deployment. By shifting incentives towards ensuring safety rather than speed, the risks associated with unchecked AI development could be mitigated.
Combatting Misinformation with AI Safeguards
The potential threat of AI-generated content, such as forged videos and documents, prompts discussions on safeguarding against sophisticated AI manipulations. Strategies like watermarking media to verify authenticity and implementing secure encrypted communication channels are proposed to counter the spread of misinformation. In the face of advancing AI capabilities, proactive measures are advocated to maintain trust and combat deceptive AI-generated content.
Collective Action for Responsible AI Development
Tristan Harris stresses the need for global collaboration and coordinated efforts to navigate the challenges posed by AI proliferation. Comparisons to historical nuclear arms control highlight the necessity of establishing norms and regulations around AI technologies. Public awareness, engagement with policymakers, and incentivizing responsible AI development are identified as crucial steps towards ensuring a safe and ethical AI future.
What if you could no longer trust the things you see and hear?
Because the signature on a check, the documents or videos presented in court, the footage you see on the news, the calls you receive from your family … They could all be perfectly forged by artificial intelligence.
That’s just one of the risks posed by the rapid development of AI. And that’s why Tristan Harris of the Center for Humane Technology is sounding the alarm.
This week on How I Built This Lab: the second of a two-episode series in which Tristan and Guy discuss how we can upgrade the fundamental legal, technical, and philosophical frameworks of our society to meet the challenge of AI.
To learn more about the Center for Humane Technology, text “AI” to 55444.
This episode was researched and produced by Alex Cheng with music by Ramtin Arablouei.
It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineer was Neal Rauch.