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New KeynoteAI is a General Purpose Technology - and the next Technology Platform. It could be heaven or it could be hell.
Is AI the next chapter in the evolution of the internet, and does it bring a new era for humanity? Is AI not only the new general purpose technology but also the next technology platform shift (after mobile and the cloud)?
Thanks to recent leaps in Artificial Intelligence (specifically Deep Learning), generative models such as Dall-E 2 and ChatGPT (both powered by OpenAI), can now produce unique images and videos as well as texts and are sound based on just a text prompt, and often with uncanny human-like quality. The media, VCs, and investors are all abuzz with excitement about Generative Artificial Intelligence. Already utilised in areas such as customer service and content-writing, generative AIs like ChatGPT, Sora, and Gemini seem poised to transform the web – and our society.
Have a look at Gerd's YouTube playlist featuring his latest videos on AI
Technology companies around the world are pouring 10s of Billions into AI. New regional players such as the UAE are investing boldly in AI, while the EU launched its AI Act in March 2024. Many optimisations and huge efficiencies, new revenue streams and dramatic global GDP growth are envisioned – yet the ramifications for society, and humanity at large, are of even larger magnitude. Will generative AI be collectively beneficial, and will it help us achieve what I call ‘The Good Future‘?
Tough questions about digital ethics, responsibility, control and accountability are everywhere. In a world where AI language models will increasingly be used to generate media content, news reports and social media posts, the potential for well-disguised mistakes, bias, and disinformation looms large. If we're not careful, AI's negative externalities could be like social media's – but maybe 100x as bad. So what to do? How to benefit from these new possibilities without causing uncontrollable externalities?
Have a look at Gerd's latest videos on ChatGPT, AI and the Future, via this Youtube Playlist
Click here to read Gerd's latest writings on ChatGPT and Generative AI | Check out Gerd's AI Futures Hub
What's so exciting about ChatGPT (according to its own answer on this query)? “It's a state-of-the-art language model that can generate human-like text, trained on a massive amount of data, allowing it to
understand and respond to a wide variety of inputs. This makes it useful for a number of natural language processing tasks, such as text completion, language translation, and conversation generation. Because it is based on the GPT architecture, it can also be fine-tuned to specific tasks and domains (such as medical information) making it highly adaptable”.
And yet: what about deepfakes, hallucinations and increasingly synthetic content?
“Gerd Leonhard is known for his unique approach to discussing future trends and technologies in his keynotes and presentations. He is often described as a futurist, a term which refers to someone who studies and describes future trends, particularly in technology and society. Some of the unique features of Gerd Leonhard's keynotes and presentations include his use of data and research to back up his observations, his ability to present complex ideas in a clear and engaging manner, and his focus on the ethical and societal implications of emerging technologies. Additionally, he is known for his ability to connect the dots of different emerging technology trends, providing a holistic view of how they will impact the future of humanity and business”
Some useful illustrations
Often used in Gerd's talks on AI Futures
Some of Gerd's recent videos on AI
Gerd's latest film on AI and Humanity: Look Up Now!
Doing well and doing Good. March 2024 Keynote on AI and Business
Why You Should be Both Worried & Excited about AI!
How is AI going to change the world? A conversation with Futurist Gerd Leonhard
ChatGPT and the Future of AI (GerdTalks #13, Jan 30, 2023 LiveStream
The impact of Generative / Conversational AI, ChatGPT: The Future of the Web?
Can we and should we trust Artificial Intelligence?
We need to talk about AI - a film by Futurist Gerd Leonhard: thoughts on artificial intelligence
IA, AI and AGI: will the machines take-over? A short film by Futurist Keynote Speaker Gerd Leonhard
The End of Routine? Futurist Gerd Leonhard on Artificial Intelligence
The difference between Human Intelligence (HI) and Machine Intelligence (AI) Futurist Gerd Leonhard
Intelligent Assistance (IA) not Artificial Intelligence (AI): Futurist Keynote Speaker Gerd Leonhard
The Good Future Film Trailer
ChatGPT faking Donald Trump speeches
About Look Up Now (watch)
LookUpNow (LuN) is a riveting 24-minute docu-fiction film featuring Futurist Gerd Leonhard as host, guide and narrator, on the future of artificial intelligence and humanity, directed by Emmy-award winning producer Christopher Sean Nolan. The film premiered on Youtube on August 21, 2023.
The film proposes that we should embrace AI and harness its positive potential, while at the same time, we urgently must consider and address its negative side effects and unintended externalities. We must use AI as a powerful tool but not let it become a purpose on its own. AI should be used to help us bring about what Gerd calls The Good Future, but not to replace humans, to whittle away what makes us human, or to further a synthetic, machine-led society.
LuN explains why we should welcome smart machines (what Gerd calls intelligent assistance aka IA) but not seek to build generally intelligent artificial entities (AGIs). Regarding technological progress, it’s competence that matters, not consciousness (quoting Professor Stuart Russell).
