One of DeepMind's founders says the biggest impact of AI is underappreciated - that contrary to many prevailing narratives, it will take power away from elites, not let them consolidate more.
One of DeepMind's founders says the biggest impact of AI is underappreciated - that contrary to many prevailing narratives, it will take power away from elites, not let them consolidate more.
We live in an age where elites are consolidating power and money. We can see it all around us. It's tempting to think this will only continue, and AI will be just another tool to enable it to happen.
But I think OP has a better handle on what will happen. All the power and money elites have now is built on very shaky foundations. What happens to banks, stock markets & the mortgage industry - when people don't need to pay doctors, lawyers & a whole host of other professional people for their services anymore, because AI can do their jobs now?
I think this founder (and those who would agree) are conflating 'high income' with 'elite'. I wouldn't call my childs pediatrician an 'elite'. Or the lawyer who helped create my will.
The individuals who genuinely shape and direct the corporate oligarchy that America has become are already using A.I. for nefarious purposes even in its nascent status.
Look at police forces using various forms of facial recognition, or companies like Amzn/Msft intentionally weakening privacy laws and consumer protections to train models that theyll then use to exploit the data theyve harvested from you without consent, etc.
As LLM and other Generative AI tools continue to mature, we absolutely will see them employed in the continued consolidation of power amd wealth by the 'elite'. Even if they bring down the pay of some high income individuals in the meantime.
It has happened with every major advancement so far and I dont see why this one would go differently.
B-b-b-but the guy who has a vested interest in AI having a positive standing in the public court of opinion said it would be good!!11!1
Shitty retort aside i think you’re 100% correct. We’ve already had examples of ai being used to the detriment of society, and it wasn’t joe the trucker implementing it.
What happens when people don't need to pay professionals? Well they need to pay the owner of the AI instead (or the owner of the GPU factory) and guess which types of people own those things?
Doctors and lawyers probably aren't good examples either, as they benefit from computers to do searches (in discovery or in literature) but it doesn't affect their core skill.