Staying conscious on artificial intelligence

How AI is making and breaking our world

Artificial intelligence is changing everything. As a general purpose technology, AI is diffusing through everything. It changes how we interact with the world through search, filters, recommendations and it changes how we access knowledge, develop our minds and our sense of autonomy. It literally isn’t too much to say that it changes our possible futures.

In my work at Intelligentsia.ai, Quartz and Sonder Scheme, I’ve come to deeply appreciate that technology is only part of the story. Human decisions matter too.

In some ways, 2019 sees AI at a crossroads. Trust in big tech has taken a beating. There are early, but concrete, signs that regulation and uncertainty could impact innovation - both positively and negatively.

This is no longer something just for engineers. Diversity of perspective is critical. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of decisions to make as we build this new intelligence. It’s crazy complicated but it’s crazy important that there is transparency into AI. That we can see how it’s working and why, and what to do when something needs to change.

This is what I call being “AI conscious” and why I’m starting Artificiality. Each newsletter will cover an important and topical idea in AI. And I’ll also include a handful of “worthy of your time” links from others.

I hope you find Artificiality thought-provoking and engaging. And that you’ll share!

Helen