Does AI present “profound risks to society and humanity”?
Yes, according to a group of more than 1,400 tech leaders, academics and AI researchers (including Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak) who signed an open letter last week calling for a temporary pause on AI development until there are better safety standards in place and more official oversight.
The letter sparked a debate between those who accuse the signatories of public fearmongering and those who believe that training AI models without guardrails is an invitation to disaster.
But there is a moderate point of view here, which involves recognizing that we’re on the precipice of massive change, acknowledging there are practical uses for AI (including to support marketing) and devising rules of the road and regulations concurrent with development.
“In the case of AI, we have a chance, I think, to start fresh and learn from the mistakes we’ve made [in the past],” says Peter Prodromou, president of Boathouse Group, an independent AI-focused marketing and communications agency, speaking on this week’s episode of AdExchanger Talks.
Take social media.
“I’ve been in technology and marketing for 25 years and I remember touting the notion of social media as democratizing the internet in such a way that everybody would have a voice,” Prodromou says.
But before anyone had a chance to seriously question the potentially negative consequences of social media, it had already become a staple in people’s lives.
Considering the speed at which AI is evolving, caution is warranted.
“But [AI] is here to stay,” Prodromou says, “and we need to learn to live with it.”
Also in this episode: The difference between artificial intelligence and machine learning; how Boathouse is using AI to rethink social listening and web monitoring; tips for telling the difference between real AI-powered tech and a company that’s trying to hop on the trend; and Prodromou’s unlikely connection to Formula One racing.
For more articles featuring Peter Prodromou, click here.
