What is AI? | Computer scientist Stuart Russell | WEF


Over the last decade or so, opinions in economics have really shifted. The concept of AI taking our jobs, once seen as a distant possibility, has become a pressing concern. AI is a technology; it is not intrinsically good or evil, but its potential to disrupt traditional employment is undeniable. Governments now are waking up to this reality and grappling with the wicked problem of how to address the changing landscape of work. There is no hard and fast dividing line between what is and isn’t AI. It’s a continuum from extremely simple agents to extremely complex agents, and this spectrum has left many individuals feeling susceptible to the influence of algorithms.

The rise of AI and its impact on society raises significant concerns about polarization. If you nudge somebody hundreds of times a day, you can move them a long way in terms of their beliefs, their preferences, their opinions. The whole social structure is disintegrating and undermined, and these shifts in public opinion have made it even more challenging to address the wicked problem of AI’s influence on employment. Some may argue for a more conservative approach, emphasizing the importance of understanding both the promise and limitations of AI to stay in control of the tech, rather than it controlling us.


The most important phrases mentioned in the video

  1. Take our jobs
  2. AI is a technology; it is not intrinsically good or evil
  3. If you nudge somebody hundreds of times a day, you can move them a long way in terms of their beliefs, their preferences, their opinions
  4. As with all man-made tools, understanding the promise and limitations of AI could help us stay in control of the tech, rather than it controlling us
  5. A concept that has been around for a long time in economics
  6. There is no hard and fast dividing line between what is and isn’t AI
  7. AI is a continuum from extremely simple agents to extremely complex agents
  8. I am a little more on the conservative side
  9. Over the last decade or so, opinions in economics have really shifted
  10. Governments now are waking up to this
  11. You are susceptible to stuff that the algorithm sends
  12. Polarization
  13. The whole social structure is disintegrating and undermined
  14. Wicked problem
  15. They are actually diluted
  16. Really difficult to unravel

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