Dan McQuillan

Paris Marx is joined by Dan McQuillan to discuss how AI systems encourage ranking populations and austerity policies, and why understanding their politics is essential to opposing them.Dan McQuillan is a Lecturer in Creative and Social Computing at Goldsmiths, University of London. He’s also the author of Resisting AI: An Anti-fascist Approach to Artificial Intelligence. You can follow Dan on Twitter at @danmcquillan.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Follow the podcast (@techwontsaveus) and host Paris Marx (@parismarx) on Twitter, and support the show on Patreon.The podcast is produced by Eric Wickham and part of the Harbinger Media Network.Also mentioned in this episode: Dan wrote specifically about ChatGPT and how we should approach it on his website. Dan mentions TWIML as a podcast that has conversations with industry players that’s informative for how these technologies work (though you’re not likely to get a critical perspective on them), and Achille Mbembe’s book Necropolitics. OpenAI used Kenyan workers earning $2/hour to make ChatGPT less toxic. The UK had to scrap a racist algorithm it was using for visa applications and many councils dropped the use of algorithms in their welfare and benefits systems. Dan mentions a Human Rights Watch report on the EU’s flawed AI regulations and its impacts on the social safety net. The Lucas Plan was developed by workers at Lucas Aerospace in the 1970s, but rejected by their bosses. Support the show

Dan McQuillan, a lecturer at Goldsmiths College and author of Resisting AI, discusses the urgent need to rethink our relationship with artificial intelligence. He critiques the UK government's corporate-driven AI policies and highlights the environmental concerns related to data centers. McQuillan advocates for 'decomputing' as a means to reclaim agency and foster technologies that serve the public good. He also shares inspiring examples of collective action for sustainability, emphasizing the importance of community engagement in resisting oppressive systems.

Dan McQuillan, a creative computing lecturer at Goldsmiths University, discusses his book on resisting harmful AI trends. He explores necropolitics, positioning AI as a tool of neo-imperialism and critiquing societal norms around intelligence, likening it to historical eugenics. The conversation highlights the need for technology to support diversity and social equity. McQuillan also addresses the ethical implications of AI, advocating for an anti-fascist approach that challenges colonial structures, while emphasizing the importance of individual experiences in shaping societal values.

Dan McQuillan, a senior lecturer in creative and social computing and author of "Resisting AI: An Anti-fascist Approach to Artificial Intelligence," discusses the intersection of AI and authoritarianism. He advocates for transformative AI that counters corporate and state power. The conversation explores the societal implications of generative AI, critiques the notion of AI as a solution to complex issues, and emphasizes the need for an inclusive approach to technology that prioritizes community welfare over corporate interests.

In this engaging discussion, Dan McQuillan, a senior lecturer in Critical AI and author of "Resisting AI," delves into the troubling advancements of AI in the UK, particularly under the Starmer government. He critiques the environmental and societal impacts of AI, urging for a radical 'decomputing' approach to foster communities free from tech dependency. The conversation highlights how collective action and local governance can empower individuals, emphasizing the need for care and solidarity over technological domination.