AI, The Emerging Challenges and the Risk of a Two-Tier Society

In the pantheon of transformative technologies, artificial intelligence (AI) ranks right at the top. From self-driving cars to healthcare, from finance to climate science, AI is rapidly redefining how societies function. However, as we progress into the digital future, the discourse is evolving from merely celebrating these advances to a more nuanced understanding of the societal impact. The democratisation of AI is at the heart of this discussion and it’s something I have been thinking about for some years now. We face a tipping point at the moment and how we move forward will dictate how we work, how we interact and the educational and employment opportunities available to us all.?

The burgeoning field of artificial intelligence (AI) has long been dominated by big tech corporations, but a recent shift indicates a reshaping of this landscape. The catalyst? The open-source community and the dissemination of Meta's large language model (LLM), LLaMA. While it paves the way for significant innovations, it simultaneously stirs up new challenges within the existing regulatory ecosystem and carries implications for social stratification.?

A Paradigm Shift in AI: The Power of the Open-Source Community

Traditionally, the development of comprehensive large language models (LLMs) like Google's BERT or OpenAI's GPT-3 has been anchored in voluminous datasets, potent computational power, and a multitude of parameters. This model-building approach, with its hefty financial and infrastructure requisites, has typically restricted AI's advancement to elite tech conglomerates.?

However, the release of Meta's LLaMA into the open-source community is altering this reality. Resourceful developers are now showing that they can manipulate public models like LLaMA on their laptops to yield results that rival the sophistication of larger, costlier models. This revelation upends conventional wisdom by demonstrating that although larger models have their merits, their smaller counterparts can be just as effective.

This transformation democratizes the world of AI by making these models widely accessible, stimulating extensive experimentation and fostering rapid innovation. It disrupts the traditional paradigm by proving that powerful AI models can be created and customized on a personal laptop within a few hours, expanding the playground of AI development from a few resource-rich corporations to countless curious coders worldwide.?

The Democratisation of AI: A Catalyst for Diversity and Innovation

Open-source AI provides an unprecedented opportunity for democratising innovation. The Internet's history, built upon open-source technologies such as the LAMP stack, serves as an illustrative testament to the potential of such democratisation. Further, the diverse range of values and priorities brought to the table by a wide array of developers can shape the AI landscape more equitably, mitigating the risk of undue influence from a small number of corporate entities.

Yet, with such democratisation come significant challenges. The lack of centralised governance in open-source development implies that there is no single authority accountable for potential misuse of the technology. Legal violations, unethical applications, and the possibility of the technology being used for nefarious purposes are just a few of the risks associated with this model.

Redefining Regulatory Mechanisms in the Era of Open-Source AI

In the face of this democratisation, existing regulatory paradigms are being tested. With a multitude of developers tinkering with LLMs across the globe, it is no longer viable to regulate AI through traditional means. Rather, the focus must now shift to regulating the application of AI or implementing incentive structures to guide responsible innovation.

Creating regulations for open-source AI is akin to navigating uncharted waters—with developers spanning numerous jurisdictions, enforcing compliance with any single set of laws becomes an arduous task. This calls for novel governance strategies, including incentives for the creation of socially beneficial applications and initiatives to cultivate a culture of ethical AI usage.

The Risk of a Two-Tier Society and the Role of Open-Source AI

In the absence of AI democratisation, we face the real risk of creating a two-tier society—one in which AI technologies and their benefits are exclusively controlled and enjoyed by the wealthy and the powerful. The 'AI elite' would comprise large corporations with the capital to invest in the development of AI technologies, while the 'AI proletariat', the less privileged majority, would find themselves on the wrong side of the digital divide.

Democratising AI, can act as a bulwark against this disparity. By providing widespread access to AI technology, the open-source movement levels the playing field, allowing individuals and organisations from diverse backgrounds to contribute to and benefit from AI advancements.

Corporate Giants: Struggling to Keep Up?

Interestingly, leaked internal communications suggest that corporate giants are grappling to keep up with the pace of the open-source community. The latter's agility and adaptability in refining and improving existing models appear to have outpaced the innovations of large corporations.?

Even as tech corporations might seek to regain control by distancing their models from the open-source community, it's apparent that the democratisation train has already left the station.?

Levelling the playing field of AI, facilitated by the open-source community, has flung the doors of innovation wide open. While it highlights the possibility of producing efficient, smaller models and encourages diversity in AI development, it also raises new questions about the regulation of AI usage and its implications on society. As we traverse this new AI landscape, it's vital to ensure that we promote a fair and inclusive AI ecosystem while mitigating potential risks. Only then can we steer clear of a two-tier society and ensure that AI serves as a tool for the common good, rather than a privilege of the few.