Let’s have a serious discussion about digital ethics and ethical AI, without the hyperbolic doom and gloom fantasy.
I sat down with Ben Byford, a veteran developer, game designer, and early advocate for AI ethics. He shares his perspectives on the misconceptions surrounding the term ‘AI’, the role of ethics in AI development, and the potential future of AI. You guessed it, it’s not all doom and gloom, unless humanity decides otherwise.
Ben points out that the term ‘artificial intelligence’ often confuses people. While most can grasp the ‘artificial’ part, the ‘intelligence’ aspect is more contentious due to the various ways it can be interpreted.
Ben highlights the importance of ethics in AI, arguing that we are essentially designing humanity’s future with the AI technologies we create. He suggests that, ideally, AI should be used to automate mundane tasks and complex jobs in the real world, allowing humans more time for tasks that require creativity and human interaction.
However, he notes that the current market prioritises profit over utility, leading to an overemphasis on developing AI technologies that consume our time rather than enhance it. He suggests that a change in legislation could steer the development of AI in a more beneficial direction, with governments incentivising the development of AI technologies that solve real-world problems.
We also cover topics like the potential for regulation in AI, the future of AI, and the importance of privacy and transparency in AI development. Ben believes that in the next few years, there will be increased legislative pressures on AI and hopes that the large players in the AI field will hit a plateau in their technological advancements, forcing a shift towards more ethical and beneficial applications of AI.
Join the conversation and learn about the powerful impact of ethics on AI and our overall digital experiences.
* This conversation was recorded in 2024, before I decided to launch the podcast. Yet the talking points are so relevant to today’s hype-driven AI world that I felt the episode needed to be revived and included in the CEOR debates. It also demonstrates the reality that AI has not really changed much. It’s my counterparts behind the technology who keep on moving the goalposts.
