Your Undivided Attention

Former OpenAI engineer William Saunders sheds light on the prioritization of profit over safety in tech companies. He discusses the 'right to warn' for employees raising AI risk concerns, emphasizing transparency and the need for regulatory protection. The episode explores the challenges of AI safety, confidential whistleblowing, and the impact of independent evaluation on tech product safety.

Expert in AI weapons and drones in warfare, Paul Scharre, discusses the future of autonomous warfare, ethical considerations, and the need for safeguards. Topics include advancements in autonomous weaponry, moral complexities in combat situations, ethical concerns in the use of autonomous weapons, and the importance of regulations and international agreements in AI warfare.

Economist Daron Acemoglu discusses AI's potential impact on jobs, emphasizing the need for a human-centric approach. Topics include historical technology shifts, worker rights, and balancing AI innovation for mutual benefit. The conversation explores AI's effects on society, productivity, and the importance of regulating AI development for positive outcomes.

Guest Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist, discusses the teen mental health crisis due to social media and smartphones. Topics include delaying smartphone use, parental role in tech, and advocating for phone-free schools to address the crisis.

Chris Miller, an expert in AI hardware and security, discusses the race to secure AI hardware for supremacy. Topics include the evolution of chips, Nvidia's use of AI for chip design, and the geopolitical vulnerability of Taiwan in the chip industry.

Audrey Tang discusses using AI to strengthen democracy, pre-bunking deepfakes, Taiwan's innovative verification systems, AI for fact-checking, enhancing democracy through technology, empowering citizens in AI development.

Was it political progress, or just political theater? The recent Senate hearing with social media CEOs led to astonishing moments — including Mark Zuckerberg’s public apology to families who lost children following social media abuse. Our panel of experts, including Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, untangles the explosive hearing, and offers a look ahead, as well. How will this hearing impact protocol within these social media companies? How will it impact legislation? In short: will anything change?Clarification: Julie says that shortly after the hearing, Meta’s stock price had the biggest increase of any company in the stock market’s history. It was the biggest one-day gain by any company in Wall Street history.Correction: Frances says it takes Snap three or four minutes to take down exploitative content. In Snap's most recent transparency report, they list six minutes as the median turnaround time to remove exploitative content.RECOMMENDED MEDIA Get Media SavvyFounded by Julie Scelfo, Get Media Savvy is a non-profit initiative working to establish a healthy media environment for kids and familiesThe Power of One by Frances HaugenThe inside story of France’s quest to bring transparency and accountability to Big TechRECOMMENDED YUA EPISODESReal Social Media Solutions, Now with Frances HaugenA Conversation with Facebook Whistleblower Frances HaugenAre the Kids Alright?Social Media Victims Lawyer Up with Laura Marquez-GarrettYour Undivided Attention is produced by the Center for Humane Technology. Follow us on Twitter: @HumaneTech_  

Laurie Segall, a tech journalist, talks with legal scholar Mary Anne Franks about the rise of deepfake porn and the profound risks it poses. They discuss the accessibility, impact, and motivations behind deepfakes, the need for updated laws, and the psychological impact on victims. The potential dangers of AI, augmented reality, and virtual reality are also explored.

Josh Schrei, mythologist and host of The Emerald podcast, discusses how myths and stories can guide ethical tech development by reminding us what it is to be human. The podcast explores the motivations behind AI development, the entwined relationship between AI and cultural myths, and the religious aspects of the AI discussion. It also highlights the power of stories in shaping beliefs, the importance of embodying ethics and navigating relationships, and the responsibilities and consequences in the race to build AGI.

Renee DiResta and Carl Miller discuss the risks AI poses to elections. They explore deep fakes, combating hate speech and misinformation, accessing data for analysis, and the need for transparency from platforms. Implementing digital morality blockouts and circuit breakers is suggested to reduce negative engagement.