I’ll play The AI Optimist on my podcast and Substack, an instructional designer and growth developer for 30 years looking at how AI might benefit humanity in education and business.
While the first wave is dominated by billionaires and trillion-dollar companies vying to control, my goal is to bring this down to how it serves people, not just in my country but everywhere.
I'm scared to begin in a way because I know I could shill out more hype about AI, prompt power, and paint a scenario of utopia or doom......still, isn't that done to death?
What if we begin not with the technology, but the impact, and advantages it can bring to people.
How to make it safe and helpful to all people, not just the few with enough money. This one should be everywhere.
(ok, taking it out of the hands of military and finance would be a good first step, though in this world that's seriously utopian).
The goal is to practice understanding the AI Pessimist's point of view and to create my own hypotheses based on their input and opposition to my scenario.
Create a scenario in which we as a community can practice intelligent and realistic discussions with the opposite AI opinions.
So myself and chatGPT came up with 2 hypotheses to test, as most of what is shared is opinion, and not scientific, not falsifiable:
AI Optimist POV for the next 10 years:
Over the next decade, AI will play a crucial role in solving some of the world's most pressing challenges, from climate change to healthcare.
AI will not only automate routine tasks but also create new jobs and industries, leading to economic growth. There will be effective international cooperation and regulation of AI, ensuring its benefits are widely distributed and its potential harms are minimized.
Advances in AI will enhance human creativity and decision-making, opening up new realms of artistic and intellectual exploration.
AI Pessimist POV for the next 10 years:
Over the next decade, AI advancements will lead to significant job loss across multiple industries, from manufacturing to creative sectors, outpacing the generation of new job roles.
Furthermore, the adoption of AI technologies will exacerbate existing societal inequalities, with a disproportionate impact on marginalized communities.
Attempts to regulate AI development and use will prove ineffective due to the global nature of technology development and the rapid pace of AI advancements.
Which hypothesis is best -
AI Pessimist or AI Optimist?
I will be labeled as a futurist, as a dreamer, as a hollow view, as not understanding how dangerous AI is, and not taking seriously the risks and threats among others by those who don’t agree with the AI Optimist POV.
And my response is to dream, realize, and refine the AI approach and explore how it might positively impact us all.
Dream - like a startup, outline what you want without judging.
Realise - make it real, how can this work, sculpt the dream down to first steps (and put away the cliche old MVP - just get started)
Refine - like anything good, continually improve what you have going, and review every 90 days.
I'd say this is about #AI, still this process is like my own sourdough starter role I've been growing for 30 years.
Reaching communities, schools, and universities worldwide with a community serving the people.
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Like the oldest tech saying goes, don't predict the future, invent it.
Together, from the grass roots of people up to the technology serving and improving our lives.
Build what we can imagine instead of accepting and encouraging a destructive force.
Or not......that's what this yearlong project will explore.
The AI Optimist Episode #1 - Synthesize AI into Practical Action