THE AI DILEMMA

Powell and Kleiner reflect on the moral dilemmas posed by the rise of artificial intelligence in this nonfiction work.

The authors (of AI advisory firm Kleiner Powell International) observe that the recent proliferation of popular apps driven by artificial intelligence (AI), like ChatGPT, have provoked urgent debate about the moral ramifications of new AI technology. They assert that these issues will only become more important and complex as more people take up residence in a “data-centric world,” and that they require systematic frameworks to understand and resolve them. Powell and Kleiner focus on what they call “Triple-A” systems, which are “algorithmic, autonomous, and automated,” and, as “sociotechnical” systems, “depend just as much on human and social elements as on the technology.” To understand these systems, the authors convincingly argue for the integration of four very different and often conflicting perspectives: that of the engineer, who tends to focus on customer satisfaction and solutions to highly technical problems; that of the social justice activist, concerned with morally satisfying all stakeholders, especially the disenfranchised; that of the corporate leader, narrowly interested in the accumulation of profit; and that of the governmental leader, driven by the satisfaction of national interests (as well as partisan political gain). Powell and Kleiner take the reader on an edifying tour of seven key principles, including risk, transparency, and the protection of personal data rights. They combine scientific rigor with philosophic depth to probe the issue at the heart of the AI debate: the human impact of a technology increasingly liberated from human superintendence. “The core of the AI dilemma is not the ability of machines to learn. It is the ability of humans to learn to manage the growing abilities of these new systems. To gain real control, instead of illusory control, we need to raise our own awareness and ability first.” For the reader in search of a single-volume introduction to these vexing issues, one could do no better.

A fascinating and meticulous consideration of one of the central issues of our time.