Your Undivided Attention

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.

The podcast explores the entanglement of AI in society and the loss of control, the relationship between technology and human development, human downgrading and responsible data practices, changing incentives in the AI tech space, and the importance of deep thinking in keeping up with progress.

Elizabeth Seger and Jeffrey Ladish, AI development experts, discuss the complexities of open source AI systems, the need for true democratization of AI, the promise and peril of fine-tuning models, and the risks of open source AI. They also explore the importance of regulation and policy in AI development.

Tom Wheeler, former chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, discusses President Biden's recent executive order on AI regulation. Topics covered include internal data sharing, algorithmic bias, and the deficit of AI talent in the US government. They also explore the need to adapt laws and institutions to keep pace with AI's rapid development and discuss innovative oversight and addressing complex social issues.

Dr. Joy Buolamwini, founder of the Algorithmic Justice League, discusses how algorithmic bias in AI systems poses a risk to marginalized people. She challenges tech leaders on bias, highlights biases in facial recognition, and emphasizes the need for responsible AI tools. The podcast also explores the meeting with President Biden on facial recognition bias and addresses immediate harms and hypothetical risks of AI.

Mustafa Suleyman, author and CEO of Inflection AI, discusses the need to contain AI in order to reap its benefits. He explores challenges and possibilities, including the impact of AI on the physical world and ethical governance. The podcast explores the difficulties in AI containment and the potential for positive change in AI governance.

Tristan and Aza, along with Elon Musk, Satya Nadella, Sam Altman and other leaders, recap their experience at the closed-door AI Insight Forum in Washington. They discuss topics such as the future of AI, the need for regulation, and the dangers of open-source AI models. They also reflect on their meeting with the White House and express gratitude towards their listeners.