AI Snake Oil

A Google TechTalk about the book "AI Snake Oil" presented by its coauthor Sayash Kapoor, 2024-11-21 ABSTRACT: AI needs to be categorized into two primary branches—predictive and generative—to critically examine their societal impacts, risks, and potential benefits. Predictive AI, which uses algorithmic forecasting to make decisions in domains such as criminal justice, hiring, and healthcare, presents significant ethical concerns. Evidence shows that predictive AI can unjustly restrict individuals’ life opportunities, owing to fundamental limitations in forecasting human behavior. These limitations are grounded in sociological principles that underscore the inherent unpredictability of human actions. In contrast, generative AI is posited as a transformative tool for knowledge work, with far-reaching positive implications if carefully managed. Despite its disruptive initial rollout and prevalent misuse, generative AI holds the potential to enhance productivity and creativity across numerous fields. However, the rapid and unregulated dissemination of this technology—comparable to providing the public with an unrestricted power tool—suggests a pressing need for structured, ethical frameworks to ensure its responsible application. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Sayash Kapoor is a computer science Ph.D. candidate at Princeton University's Center for Information Technology Policy. He is listed in TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in AI. His research focuses on the societal impact of AI. He previously worked on AI in the industry and academia at Facebook, Columbia University, and EPFL Switzerland. He is a recipient of a best paper award at ACM FAccT and an impact recognition award at ACM CSCW. https://www.cs.princeton.edu/~sayashk/ Organizer: Jan Matusiewicz (Google) https://medium.com/@jan.matusiewicz AI Snake Oil: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691249131/ai-snake-oil?srsltid=AfmBOoo2w8r0_MAuHpALx18d4Zst3KQJhuKt0N-lXaC8PoR9DK4i9kds