Sam Altman, the recently restored CEO of OpenAI, and Joy Buolamwini, founder of the Algorithmic Justice League, expressed concerns about the potential risks of emerging artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. They emphasized the need for responsible and equitable AI during a recent event titled Joy Buolamwini and Sam Altman: Unmasking the Future of AI. The event, hosted by Deepa Seetharaman of the Wall Street Journal, took place at the Commonwealth Club of San Francisco and attracted a crowd of over 75 attendees.
As AI technologies like ChatGPT and DALLE-3 continue to evolve, their impact on societal norms, privacy, and democracy is becoming increasingly significant. The discussion at the event focused on responsible AI, government regulation, equitable access, and the potential impact of AI on the upcoming 2024 presidential election.
Altman expressed concerns about the customized one-on-one persuasion ability of new AI models and its potential impact on elections. Buolamwini also highlighted worries about synthetic media and deepfakes, citing misinformation surrounding the Israel-Gaza conflict as an example of the problems that can arise with the widespread availability of AI tools.
A key point of discussion was how companies could ensure that the voices of marginalized communities influence AI systems. Altman emphasized the responsibility of companies like OpenAI to collect global input from diverse communities in a fair and equitable manner. Buolamwini also stressed the need for government involvement, stating that their interest should be in the public’s well-being.
Altman compared the impact of new AI technologies to the release of Google at the turn of the century, suggesting that AI could expand human capabilities. However, Buolamwini expressed concerns that AI advancements could exacerbate existing inequalities, particularly in fields like education.
Ehsan Adeli, a computer science assistant professor, acknowledged both the potential benefits and harms of AI in medicine. While AI has the potential to transform healthcare and reduce inequality in access to care, it is important to address societal biases embedded in the data used to train AI systems.
During the event, some audience members were critical of Altman’s comments, suggesting that he wasn’t taking direct responsibility for the potential harms associated with OpenAI’s ChatGPT. They echoed Buolamwini’s view that large language models could disproportionately benefit those with resources, further marginalizing already disadvantaged communities.
In summary, Altman and Buolamwini emphasized the need for responsible and equitable AI practices. They called for government regulation, global input from diverse communities, and the avoidance of biases in AI systems. The discussion shed light on the potential risks and benefits of AI technologies and their impact on various aspects of society.
