Hello again!

The script for my final project is finally done, but like all scripts it still needs some revision.  My target time for my final presentation is 20 minutes, but I feel that I may need freestyle rapping skills to get down to that.  The outline for my final three areas of concern (with regards to the ethics of AI) are below.

Creativity & Authenticity

Is generative AI creative?  This is a philosophical and moral argument with real-world implications.

• Arguments against:
  • AI lacks motivation, choice, and intentionality
  • It is impossible for machines to be “authentic”
  • Stringing together other’s thoughts is not creative (an undergrad stringing together quotes lack analysis and engagement with ideas)
  • AI does not “feel” and its work does not reflect its emotional experiences
• Arguments for:
  • Parallels between early conceptions of creativity and AI (“Touched by the hand of god”)
  • Process vs product – whether AI is creative or merely plagiarizing may lie in how it is programmed (is the algorithm unique, or inventive?)
  • Passing on information that is “readymade” (like memes) – the value is not from the original creation but by recontextualizing it (curatorial intent)
  • Using tools to solve problems is an extremely important part of the creative process (i.e., the “calculator argument”)
• Implications
  • Currently the work of AI (inventions, art, etc.) cannot be patented
  • New intellectual property law is needed
  • Runco (2023) suggests that we use the term “artificial creativity” when describing the work of AI

Privacy

AI presents several challenges related to personal privacy (both for students and wider society).

• As discussed earlier generative AI requires a constant stream of data to function
  • AI’s can harvest and collate unprecedented volumes of information from disparate sources
    • Big Data and the internet of things provides rich sources of information
    • Facial recognition software allows data to be pulled from public spaces and social media
    • AI’s capabilities allow it to re-identify previously anonymized information
  • Those with access to our private data can erode our basic freedoms
    • Informational privacy is a core democratic freedom
  • Bad actors
    • AI tools enable data theft and criminals
    • Harm through the creation of non-consensual offensive content (enabled by deepfakes)
  • Companies are disincentivized to protect our information
    • Without enforcement there is no way to know if “do not track” or “opt out” requests are honoured
    • Personal information can be used to create personal profiles to sell us goods and agendas (there is an economic incentive to not respect our privacy)
    • The companies with the best data have an opportunity to create the most revenue
  • If we can optimize for other performance metrics, then why can’t we optimize for privacy?

Democratic Principles

• Interference in the electoral process
  • Election hacking & Foreign interference
  • Gerrymandering/bypassing election laws
  • Lobbying by tech companies prevents regulation and good policy

• “Fake News” and disinformation
  • Deepfakes
  • Targeted disinformation campaigns
  • Technology companies benefit from the high engagement of sensationalized content

• AI is being used to combat some of these threats

All that is left is to finish the slides and visuals for the presentation.  Luckily, I started a while back – but like all design projects I have been involved with there is always problems.

Thanks for reading.