Adrienne Williams, a former educator and DAIR research fellow, dives into the detrimental impact of tech-savvy billionaires on education. She critiques their focus on AI solutions while ignoring systemic issues in underfunded schools. The conversation highlights the challenges faced by educators of color, the ethical dilemmas of data sharing, and the startling realities of biased AI technologies. From the absurdities of self-driving wheelchairs to the dangers of AI-driven narratives, Adrienne encourages a critical look at tech’s role in our classrooms.

OpenAI's latest ambitious claim about its new model's 'complex reasoning' sparks a lively dissection by the hosts. They highlight the absurdity of relying on so-called experts for dataset validation. As they delve into the murky waters of AI policies and human values, a fictional AI hell provides comedic relief amid serious critiques. The conversation shifts to the ethical implications of recent AI actions, advocating for greater consumer awareness and protection against the risks posed by new technologies.

Technology journalist Paris Marx joins Alex and Emily for a conversation about the environmental harms of the giant data centers and other water- and energy-hungry infrastructure at the heart of LLMs and other generative tools like ChatGPT -- and why the hand-wavy assurances of CEOs that 'AI will fix global warming' are just magical thinking, ignoring a genuine climate cost and imperiling the clean energy transition in the US.Paris Marx is a tech journalist and host of the podcast Tech Won’t Save Us. He also recently launched a 4-part series, Data Vampires, (which features Alex) about the promises and pitfalls of data centers like the ones AI boosters rely on.References:Eric Schmidt says AI more important than climate goalsMicrosoft's sustainability reportSam Altman's “The Intelligence Age” promises AI will fix the climate crisisPreviously on MAIHT3K: Episode 19: The Murky Climate and Environmental Impact of Large Language Models, November 6 2023Fresh AI Hell:Rosetta to linguists: "Embrace AI or risk extinction" of endangered languagesA talking collar that you can use to pretend to talk with your petsGoogle offers synthetic podcasts through NotebookLMAn AI 'artist' claims he's losing millions of dolalrs from people stealing his workUniversity hiring English professor to teach...prompt engineeringYou can check out future livestreams at https://twitch.tv/DAIR_Institute.Subscribe to our newsletter via Buttondown. Follow us!Emily Twitter: https://twitter.com/EmilyMBender Mastodon: https://dair-community.social/@EmilyMBender Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/emilymbender.bsky.social Alex Twitter: https://twitter.com/@alexhanna Mastodon: https://dair-community.social/@alex Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/alexhanna.bsky.social Music by Toby Menon.Artwork by Naomi Pleasure-Park. Production by Christie Taylor.

The hosts dive into the debate on whether AI can replace human scientists, revealing the limitations of fully automated research. They share concerns about AI's potential to skew academic integrity and the absurdity of its role in generating genuine scientific insight. A humorous discussion unpacks the anthropomorphism of AI in academia, questioning its capabilities while highlighting ethical standards. Additionally, they touch on troubling incidents involving AI in journalism and healthcare, advocating for more stringent regulations in the face of growing skepticism.

Dive into the absurdity of synthetic data in Hollywood, where AI fails to nail box office predictions. The hosts hilariously dissect AI's influence on the writing community, including the contradictions of NaNoWriMo's sponsorship. Discover the ethical mishaps of AI assistants and questionable pricing in tech. Unpack the chaos of AI in education, including teacherless classrooms and biased language models. With a blend of humor and serious critique, this episode navigates AI's impact on society and the need for responsible practices.

Dr. Clara Berridge, an associate professor at the University of Washington, specializes in generative AI and elder care. In this enlightening discussion, she critiques the push for AI solutions that often sidestep genuine care needs, highlighting ethical concerns around privacy and surveillance. The conversation explores the implications of using AI for companionship, emphasizing the importance of real human connections. Berridge also challenges the financial motives behind these technologies, urging a focus on dignity and respect for elderly populations.

Samantha Cole, a journalist from 404 Media, discusses the growing role of AI in journalism as The Washington Post shifts its focus to technology amidst budget woes. She highlights the risks of sacrificing journalistic integrity for automation and critiques the unrealistic expectations of AI's reliability. The conversation navigates the absurdities of AI tools and their impact on reporting quality. Cole emphasizes the importance of skepticism in an era where technology threatens the foundation of good journalism, while sharing humorous takes on the industry's absurdities.

Eric Yuan, CEO of Zoom, shares ambitious visions for AI with Emily and Alex. They dissect the 'digital twin' concept intended to reduce meeting fatigue while highlighting the absurdities of relying on AI to clone human interaction. The trio discusses the controversies surrounding AI in workplaces, concerns about data privacy, and the stark contrast between corporate hype and public skepticism. They humorously navigate the ethics of automation in education and tackle the complications of misinformation in tech collaborations.

Michelle Mahon, a seasoned registered nurse and Director of Nursing Practice with National Nurses United, dives deep into the misconceptions surrounding AI in healthcare. She emphasizes that chatbots can't replace the human touch nurses provide. The conversation reveals alarming statistics about AI performance in patient care and discusses ethical concerns regarding its implementation. Mahon also advocates for thoughtful regulation to protect the vital role of nurses, highlighting the risks of relying too heavily on technology in healthcare.

Computer scientist Ali Alkhatib discusses Google DeepMind's flawed study on dangerous capabilities of large language models, emphasizing the social implications of AI. Critiques on poorly developed AI models, misinterpretations in AI research, hacker tools extracting data, and the limitations of tech news solutions are also explored. The conversation challenges hierarchical thinking in AI benchmarks and deceptive rhetoric in promoting harmful ideas.