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AI doomsday warnings a distraction from the danger it already poses, warns expert (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 2 years ago by [M, B] to c/technology@lemmy.world
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AI doomsday warnings a distraction from the danger it already poses, warns expert::A leading researcher, who will attend this week’s AI safety summit in London, warns of ‘real threat to the public conversation’

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[–] 53 points 2 years ago* (3 children)

AI safety folks have been warning about the predictable disastrous consequences of turning economic power over to unethical AI systems for many years now, long before deepfakes, predictive policing, or other trendy "AI dangers" were around.

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  • [–] 26 points 2 years ago (8 children)

    turning economic power over to unethical AI systems for many years now

    What's the difference from unethical human systems?

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  • [–] 34 points 2 years ago* (1 child)

    No ethics based lapses.

    Humans in a systemic unethical system can be individually ethical using deception or until the system grinds them to dust.

    An unethical ai built on unethical data will reinforce unethical behavior forever.

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  • [–] 8 points 2 years ago

    Folks expect humans to be unethical, and [at least try to] put in checks and balances for it. When it's an AI, on the other hand, lots of folks are too computer-illiterate to treat it as anything but infallible magic.

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  • [–] 6 points 2 years ago

    It's the fact that ethical people can easily create unethical AI. The core problem is reinforcing biases/stereotypes in the data without realizing. Obviously there are other concerns about purposefully doing unethical stuff, but the real issue is that AI/ML just learns from what it's given.

    Examples range from cameras that think most people from Asia have their eyes closed https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/facial-recognition-software-passport-renewal-asian-man-eyes-closed/ to things like Amazon reinforcing gender hiring biases https://www.reuters.com/article/us-amazon-com-jobs-automation-insight-idUSKCN1MK08G

    Ultimately even when built "correctly" AI can be extremely dangerous.

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  • [–] 10 points 2 years ago

    disastrous consequences of turning economic power over to unethical AI systems

    Phew, good thing we've got ethical Jeff Bezos and Elon Musks controling out economies and piloting our governments instead 😅 really dodged a bullet there

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  • [–] 4 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    These warnings and fears would be a little easier to hear if they weren’t pushed so hard by the most disingenuous people ever. Sounds like they want everyone else to pause so they can get ahead.

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