A bit of a jaw-dropper dropped yesterday
Some pretty hefty news dropped yesterday. A group of over 1000 of AI industry leaders, including Sam Altman, CEO of Open AI, and Fei Fei Li, a computer science professor at Stanford, warned regulators against unchecked development of AI.
In an open letter, the industry leaders said that AI is “one of the most important” technologies of our time” and that it has the potential to “transform our world for the better.” However, they also warned that AI could be used for harmful purposes, such as creating autonomous weapons or systems that discriminate against certain groups of people.
They urged “action now” to ensure AI is developed and used responsibly.
You can read the letter and much more in the way of context at The Center for AI Safety.
Is it the machine, or is it us?
Reactions I personally saw on Reddit and other social media could largely be placed in the “AI is a Threat” basket. That is, the danger comes from AI in and of itself.
The letter, however, strikes me as a caveat against bad human actors building evil, intelligent machines.
It’s the old “guns don’t kill, people with guns kill” argument. I won’t weigh in on this, but you’ll see my personal biases as we go along.
In a previous post on this blog, I argue that the generalist who know a lot about many things will likely triumph in an AI-saturated technological and societal environment. This “creative generalist” will be able to navigate the nuances and complexities we’ll all face better than the one-inch wide and 20-mile deep hyper-specialist.
If guiding the machine is an imperative, who should be present in its formative years?
I would argue that the folks in their Golden Years would be great candidates.
Onboarding Wisdom
A host of tribal and more collectivist societies around the world and throughout history have given the task of leadership, through good times and bad, to their elders. The logic was that the experience and wisdom the people in the older cohorts possessed served as a steadying anchor through good times and bad.
Senior citizens have a wealth of life experience and wisdom that can help humanize a very technology-centric space. They have seen the world change dramatically over the years, and they have learned valuable lessons along the way. They can share their insights with others, helping them to understand the human side of technology.
For example, senior citizens can help to humanize technology by:
Teaching others about the history of technology: Senior citizens can share stories about how technology has evolved over the years. This can help people to understand the human side of technology and to appreciate the work of the people who have created it.
Sharing their personal experiences with technology: Senior citizens can share their own experiences with technology, both good and bad. This can help others to learn from their experiences and to make better decisions about how to use technology in their own lives.
Providing advice and support to others: Senior citizens can provide advice and support to others who are struggling to use technology. This can help people to feel more confident and comfortable using technology.
By sharing their life experience and wisdom, senior citizens can help to make technology more human and more accessible to everyone.
Here are some specific examples of how senior citizens have used their life experience and wisdom to humanize technology:
In 2015, a group of senior citizens in New York City created a program called "Tech Savvy Seniors" to help other seniors learn about and use technology. The program has been a success, and it has helped hundreds of seniors to get involved in the digital world.
In 2016, a senior citizen named John Smith created a website called "Seniors and Technology" to share his insights on how senior citizens can use technology to improve their lives. The website has been a valuable resource for senior citizens, and it has helped them to learn about new technologies and to find ways to use them to their advantage.
In 2017, a group of senior citizens in California created a mobile app called "Senior Connect" to help senior citizens stay connected with their friends and family. The app has been a hit with senior citizens, and it has helped them to stay connected even when they are apart.
These are just a few examples of how senior citizens are using their life experience and wisdom to humanize technology. As technology continues to evolve, it is important to remember that the human element is still important. Senior citizens can play a vital role in ensuring that technology remains human-centered.
I suggest looking at concerted efforts to onboard the experienced and benefit from the perspective of a population that has been through many technological and societal upheavals.
That’s not to say the young are a danger; hardly so. I rather see the deliberate onboarding of the elder cohorts, through educational and outreach programs, as “guides on the side” or truly empowered advisors who understand and can actually use the technology can be a major tool in mitigating the risks attendant with this little-understood phenomenon.
In the 1990s I noticed many non-profits organizing educational events in public libraries, community centers, and the like to teach grandma how to use email and AOL or Compuserve.
Why can’t we do that with ChatGPT and Midjourney. Why shouldn’t we start right now?
“Now slow down there, my friend…”
Oral history has played a pivotal role in the creation and development of communities and social structures. In indigenous communities, the Elder's experience is most respected and valued. This is a moment in time in which every voice matters to shape what is about to come and what is already here.