AI Gurus to Offer Insights at UCSB A&L Conversation
NOW THAT AI IS EXPERIENCING A PEAK IN THE ZEITGEIST, in public discussions, and articles, discourse around it is more important than ever. To open a local conversation, UCSB Arts & Lectures invited Nicholas Thompson, former Editor-in-chief of Wired magazine and current CEO of The Atlantic and Nita Farahany, distinguished professor at Duke University and author of The Battle for Your Brain: Defending the Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology, to Campbell Hall for a conversation on January 31st at 7:30pm and to share their wealth of knowledge and experience on the subject.
Thompson granted an interview with VOICE Magazine and spoke briefly about AI, its impact upon humanity, and what the future might hold.
VOICE: What it is that we, as the public, are getting wrong about AI?
Thompson: I think that AI is going to be one of the most complicated forces that society has ever encountered, and it’s going to change a lot for good, it’s going to change a lot for ill. And people often overstate the harms, and they also underestimate the benefits. So for example, in education, my personal view is that AI is obviously the greatest tool ever for cheating. And that should be, you know, banned; people should be taught about the consequences. But it’s also a great tool for tutoring, and for understanding.
VOICE: Is there a better way to bring an awareness to the public that this is a tool that can be used for good?
Thompson: I’m out speaking, moderating events, talking to people. The Atlantic is publishing great stories, trying to demystify it, trying to help people understand the realities: What could go wrong? And the reality is, what could go right?
VOICE: Has there been anything new in the challenges around this technology?
Thompson: The surprise about AI is how quickly it’s advanced in the last 14 months. How quickly it appears ready to improve in the next 14 months. And the speed at which it acquired capabilities of creativity and what seems to some small degree to be actual thinking as opposed to rote execution.
VOICE: Between your coverage around AI, your and Nita Farahany’s advocacy for cognitive liberty, do you have any considerations around how humanity might impact AI?
Thompson: We’re the ones still shaping it … It will be us who change the models, who set the rules and set the priorities … Why is OpenAI more considerate of copyright right now than it was a little while ago? Well, because people asked for it and insisted on it. And OpenAI had engineers change the rules…Humanity will be setting the rules and the regulations and standards for AI models. And that’s, you know, that is one of the most important tasks for those of us around today.
VOICE: Between you and Farahany, I’m curious what we can expect from your conversation...
Thompson: I think what you can expect... is a thought provoking, surprising, fun conversation. I find her one of the most interesting people to talk to. I like to push her with complex hypotheticals, and she always answers. So I think that people will end up surprised. If people don’t go home with something to think about, then we haven’t succeeded.
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Thompson is an author, an American technology journalist, CEO of The Atlantic, former editor-in-chief of Wired, editor of Newyorker.com, and co-founder of Atavist. He graduated from Stanford in 1997.
Farahany is a distinguished professor of Law and Philosophy at Duke University, author, and scholar on social concerns including technology, law, society, and ethics. She graduated from Dartmouth and holds a JD, MA, and PhD from Duke University.
