My project’s working title is: Uncharted Territory: Risks of AI Commodification in a Decentralised World. The thesis is that the commodification of AI is perilous due to conflicting AI safety objectives (centralization) and capitalist goals (decentralization), leading to a safety-commerce conflict, and my mode of representation will be the multimodal output – song (score, lyrics) – accompanied by 7000-8000 words.
The remainder of my project timeline is currently as follows:
The current version of my project plan is as follows:
Introduction
- Define different types of AI, including super and general.
- Distinguish between dangerous and non-dangerous AI; focus on (my term) “DAI” (Dangerous Artificial Intelligence) exclusively.
- “DAI” lacks definitive limits to its capabilities unlike, for example, AI-generated art. Understanding the criteria distinguishing these types is crucial for analysis.
- Define and justify the qualifications for DAI within this dissertation’s scope.
- Utilize existing terminology for DAI, if available.
- Emphasize our incomplete understanding of AI’s full capabilities.
- Present diverse predictions on the outcome of AI’s commodification from various sources, ranging from feasible to extreme scenarios.
- Acknowledge uncertainty about AI’s future and advocate caution against hasty commercialization.
The Inherent Danger in AI commodification
- Discuss the risks of commodification linked to decentralization due to the Safety-Commerce Conflict.
- Examine how commodification has adversely affected other crucial issues like climate change.
- Define AI safety goals and desired actions (centralization).
- Expound on capitalism’s goals and desired actions (decentralization).
- Highlight the concept of “adoption advantage” within technological fields, stressing the early strategic use of emerging technologies.
- Explore conflicts arising from these contrasting objectives, drawing on historical precedents.
- Speculate on potential future conflicts or the evolution of current conflicts, noting parallels with climate change.
Proposed Solutions
- Propose the decommodification of DAI to eliminate profit motives and restrict public access until fully researched.
- Support this proposal with relevant literature.
- Suggest practical steps for moving forward:
- Nationalize or centralize AI, conducting government-led research prior to public release.
- Initiate political discourse and international cooperation, recognizing challenges and proposing additional solutions.
- Emphasize the need for further research and analysis.
Creative Output Justification
- Justify the use of a song as a medium
- Advocate for public engagement through the song’s entertainment and engagement factors.
- Consider future research on accompanying audio and video content for enhanced social media outreach.
Conclusion
- Synthesize the dissertation’s findings, emphasizing the necessity for change.
- Reinforce the role of the song as a vehicle for advocacy and public awareness, aiming to influence public opinion and policymakers.
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There are a couple of significant issues with my project plan. Firstly, decommodifying AI faces significant challenges in today’s socio-economic landscape. The entrenched interests and economic incentives driving AI development make removing profit motives and commercialization difficult. It would require major shifts in economic structures, regulations, and technological governance, which may be unrealistic in the short term. While advocating for responsible AI practices and regulation is important, completely removing profit motives from AI may need broader systemic changes and international cooperation.
Secondly, a potential challenge or limitation of using a song as an intervention is the potential for oversimplification or misrepresentation of complex issues. While music can be a powerful tool for raising awareness, the depth of understanding and nuance that can be conveyed through a song might be limited compared to traditional academic or policy discourse. Moreover, ensuring that the comedic and catchy elements of the song do not overshadow the seriousness of the subject matter is essential. There’s also a risk that the message could be misunderstood or misconstrued due to the artistic and subjective nature of music, potentially diluting the intended impact on policy or public opinion. Therefore, careful consideration of messaging and framing within the song is crucial to maximize its effectiveness in addressing the ethical challenges of AI commodification.
I’m pleased to be nearing the finalization of my project’s focus, and I anticipate that receiving feedback from my supervisor on my plan will significantly assist in refining my direction.
Curated using ChatGPT 3.5 by OpenAI. For more information visit chat.openai.com.
