What do we want technology for, if it is not to make the world a better place?
Although I am fascinated by #AI, I resist joining the current hype. I prefer to adopt a wait-observe-learn stance.
For some days ago, a group of entrepreneurs invited me and a bunch of people to a "let's-share-what-we-know-about-AI-gathering". It took me about 20 minutes to understand that we were invited to a "let-us-mine-your-minds-and-hearts-event".
I left the room appalled by the extractive intention of the convening entrepreneurs towards us who they had invited, and by the greed behind their business ideas, that they greenwashed with the #SDG and whitewashed with the #IDG.
I was even more appalled by the FOMO-fuelled frenzy that makes many a #ChangePractitioner join the hype.
I must confess that I felt "chosen" when I received the invitation and that I left my wait-observe-learn stance. But when I sobered up, I learned not for the first time and probably not for the last:
– that any technology, AI this time, in the hands of people with an extractive mind will increase the pain of people and planet;
– and that if we who fashion ourselves as #ChangePractitioners fall into the hype, we will not contribute to making the world a better place.
I took this photo of a mineral waste dump of an open-pit mine, when I worked some years ago with the archetype of extractive industries: a mining multinational.
For some days ago, a group of entrepreneurs invited me and a bunch of people to a "let's-share-what-we-know-about-AI-gathering". It took me about 20 minutes to understand that we were invited to a "let-us-mine-your-minds-and-hearts-event".
I left the room appalled by the extractive intention of the convening entrepreneurs towards us who they had invited, and by the greed behind their business ideas, that they greenwashed with the #SDG and whitewashed with the #IDG.
I was even more appalled by the FOMO-fuelled frenzy that makes many a #ChangePractitioner join the hype.
I must confess that I felt "chosen" when I received the invitation and that I left my wait-observe-learn stance. But when I sobered up, I learned not for the first time and probably not for the last:
– that any technology, AI this time, in the hands of people with an extractive mind will increase the pain of people and planet;
– and that if we who fashion ourselves as #ChangePractitioners fall into the hype, we will not contribute to making the world a better place.
I took this photo of a mineral waste dump of an open-pit mine, when I worked some years ago with the archetype of extractive industries: a mining multinational.