How can AI become a force for social good?

Artificial intelligence (AI) dominated conversations at the recent World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos.

The release of ChatGPT to the public in December 2022 put AI firmly in the spotlight. And today it is all around us, promising to transform how we live our lives. But there are plenty of concerns and warnings about how it could impact the world. Many have sounded the alarm, even the so-called “Godfather of AI” Geoffrey Hinton, who has been vocal about the dangers of the technology he helped to create.

In this episode, experts reflect on the ethical implications of these technological advances. We ask how AI can become a force for social good which empowers people globally rather than entrenching inequalities. And with over half the world due to go to the polls in 2024, what impact will AI have on politics in this major election year and beyond?

Speakers

• Sara Pantuliano (host), Chief Executive, ODI
• Vilas Dhar, President, Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, and advocate of data and AI for good
• Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director-General, Social and Human Sciences, UNESCO
• Stephanie Diepeveen, Senior Research Fellow, ODI
  
  

Resources

• Has AI ushered in an existential crisis of trust in democracy? (ODI insight)
• International AI Governance must be truly global (ODI insight)

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction
• 1:55 What is AI and why is everyone talking about it? (Stephanie Diepeveen)
• 3:44 When AI intercepts with politics (Stephanie Diepeveen)
• 7:20 A shift in how we think about technology (Vilas Dhar)
• 11:11 The displacement of workers due to automation (Vilas Dhar)
• 13:08 Technological leaps – can we avoid inequalities? (Gabriela Ramos)
• 18:29 Trustworthy AI or trustworthy societies? (Vilas Dhar)
• 20:57 AI for good - preserving indigenous languages with AI (Vilas Dhar)
• 23:54 Scaling AI responsibly (Gabriela Ramos)
• 25:31 Misinformation and disinformation in the biggest election year (all guests)