A chara, – While your editorial rightly calls for greater exploration of the opportunities and threats of artificial intelligence, we should not underestimate the difficulties in “pausing” its development nor in its regulation (“The Irish Times view on the future of AI: time to pause”, April 1st).
Those seeking to stop the use of AI will fail in the same way through history that those with a fear of new technologies have failed.
In education, for example, example, expecting that students will not use Chat GPT or similar tools from now on is akin to predicting that those seeking news would only have gone to printed papers and magazines and not made use of the internet. Educators need to adapt in the same way as news media outlets have done.
It also needs to be remembered that if those with noble motives fail to maintain control of the development and use of technology, there will be those with less honourable objectives who will exploit the gaps.
Former Tory minister Steve Baker: ‘Ireland has been treated badly by the UK. It’s f**king shaming’
Jennifer O’Connell: In a country of such staggering wealth, no one should have to queue for free food
Samantha Barry: ‘There’s not a moment where I’m not representing Glamour. I don’t get to switch it off’
QPR’s Jimmy Dunne finds solace in football after emotional week
We need only look at how the Chinese Communist Party is using AI-powered surveillance tools to control the citizens of that country.
In the past, legislators and regulators could shape how new technologies were developed and deployed. With the convergence of new technologies and the speed at which they are now taking shape, it is becoming increasingly difficult for us to codify in law for every eventuality.
Indeed, in the same way that big data and algorithms are now shaping everything from health choices to insurance calculations, it is possible that legislation written by AI and debated by political avatars in a parliamentary metaverse is not that far away!
It is critical, however, in how we roll out AI and other new technologies that ethical principles are to the fore.
It is essential that democracies cooperate with those developing AI products to ensure that in their design and use that there are safeguards against algorithmic bias as well as ensuring human rights and dignity are protected and promoted and that there are ways to prevent misuse.
This requires a partnership with industry but also consequences where international players do not engage.
It is of serious concern that large swathes of global power is increasingly being concentrated in the hands of a small number of (almost all) men who dominate the tech industry.
It is why the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act could be one of the most important pieces of legislation enacted this century.
But further, we have to ensure that we as citizens are equipped to understand new technologies and be able to deal with distinguishing fact from misinformation and disinformation. We need digitally and media-literate societies. Our education systems need to be transformed to deliver this outcome.
A “pause” is welcome if used wisely but we have entered the era of AI and big data and we need to act quickly to ensure we all benefit. – Is mise,
Senator MALCOLM BYRNE,
Fianna Fáil,
Seanad Éireann,
Dublin 2.