Elon Musk, A.I., and the Dance of Disruption
According to Musk, A.I. is “probably the most disruptive technology ever,” poised to bring about an age of abundance or maybe even an A.I. apocalypse, whichever comes first. I mean, who wouldn’t want to stick around for that?
A.I. and Media Literacy – A Love Story?
As Musk was busy wowing the crowd with his doomsday scenarios, I found myself involved in a slightly less apocalyptic, but no less important, panel discussion on Media Literacy in the Age of A.I. Claire Leibowicz, a leading voice in the A.I. space, brought up some potent points about how generative A.I. could amplify misinformation, potentially leading to the notorious “liar’s dividend.” Talk about a plot twist.
Meanwhile, Sonja Solomun made an unnervingly accurate comparison – she likened exposure to disinformation to cocaine. Apparently, a snort or two isn’t going to do any lasting harm, but repeated exposure can fundamentally mess with your brain chemistry. Talk about a bad trip.
A.I. Regulation – More than Just a Hashtag
Elsewhere at Viva Tech, I ran into Nick Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic, a man as well-versed in the tech world as he is in making LinkedIn videos. He offered some fascinating insights on A.I. regulation, comparing it to the Goldilocks dilemma – too big and dumb, too small and dumb, or just right.
In the thick of all this, the European Union’s A.I. Act is making waves, poised to set the stage for how A.I. will be regulated moving forward. It’s a complicated beast of a law, one that many are watching closely, including OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman. Despite his public calls for regulation, Time magazine has revealed that Altman has been quietly lobbying for less stringent requirements.
The EU A.I. Act – A Regulatory Obstacle Course
To illustrate just how convoluted the new A.I. Act is, legal experts Brian Wong and Tom Whittaker at the law firm Burges Salmon have come up with a delightful little flowchart – a Rube Goldberg-esque pathway to compliance. Wong believes that for companies in heavily-regulated industries, navigating this obstacle course might not be too much of a stretch. But for others, especially smaller businesses, the economic burden could be significant.
In the end, the A.I. Act might slow the adoption of A.I. in the EU, but as Whittaker says, it’s better to go slow and “ensure that fundamental rights are protected.”
So there you have it – a whirlwind tour of Viva Tech, Musk’s apocalyptic scenarios, and the EU A.I. Act. Buckle up, because the future of A.I. is going to be one hell of a ride.
