AI: A Dystopian Nightmare

I’m publishing this series of articles to share and discuss my ruminations on coping with a troubled and messy world. You can subscribe to never miss an article.

Even though they were written independently of one another, two articles, one in the prestigious magazine Science[i] and the other in the celebrated paper The New York Times[ii], complement each other. Both are deeply concerned about the dangers inherent in AI.

The article in Science essentially repeats what has been reported on recently: the calls by a 1000 researchers and workers for a moratorium on AI. The one in The New York Times documents how the adoption of AI is changing Policing such that it’s a Threat to our safety and well-being.

The Science article reinforces fears that we have serious reasons to be worried about the serious prospect that through “persuading people through incorrect, potentially libelous information”, AI systems are “disinformation engines.” The more that AI acts and sounds Human, the greater the Threat by means of its being harder to detect that it’s not what it pretends to be.

Ominously, the article notes that a pause on AI research seems unlikely. Thus, Governments will need to step in and act.

The article also notes that Policing Systems whose aim is to predict specific individuals who are likely to commit crimes are extremely risky. Because of their inherent biases against people of Color, they are unacceptable and therefore should be banned.

Finally, having AI researchers alone evaluate the risks of their creations is completely unsatisfactory. Technologists are not equipped to see the broader dangers to people and Society.

The article on Policing is equally alarming. AI systems that are designed to make predictions based on Facial Recognition regarding whom is likely to commit crimes not only constitute Threats to Privacy, but more broadly to Liberty and Safety. Unfortunately, it’s not enough to stop companies who are doing everything they can to get into the lucrative market of Policing.

Interdisciplinary groups that can work with Regulators to craft Regulations that will “Stem” (pun intended) the adverse effects of Technology are needed desperately. Our very survival depends on it.

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[i] Laurie Clarke, “Call for AI pause highlights potential dangers,” Science, April 14, Vol. 380, ISSUE 6641, PP 120-121.

[ii] Paul Mozur and Adam Satariano, “Inside Policing Tools That Change The Game,” The New York Times, Wednesday, April 5, 2023, PP B1 and B6.

Ian I. Mitroff is credited as being one of the principal founders of the modern field of Crisis Management. He has a BS, MS, and a PhD in Engineering and the Philosophy of Social Systems Science from UC Berkeley. He Is Professor Emeritus from the Marshall School of Business and the Annenberg School of Communication at USC. Currently, he is a Senior Research Affiliate in the Center for Catastrophic Risk Management, UC Berkeley. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the American Academy of Management. He has published 41 books. His latest is: The Socially Responsible Organization: Lessons from Covid, Springer, New York, 2022.

Image by Carlos Lopez Castellon from Pixabay