• The phrase “artificial intelligence” has been around for a long time, covering everything from computers with “brains”-think Data from Star Trek or Hal 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey-to the autocomplete function that too often has you sending emails to the wrong person. • It’s a term that sweeps a wide array of uses into it-some well-established, others still being developed. • Recent news shows us a rapidly expanding catalog of potential harms that may result from companies pushing AI into every new feature and aspect of public life-like the automation of bias that follows from relying on a backward-looking technology to make consequential decisions about people’s housing, employment, education, and so on. • Complicating matters, the computation needed for some AI services requires vast amounts of water and electricity, leading to sometimes difficult questions about whether the increased fossil fuel use or consumption of water is justified. • We are also inundated with advertisements and exhortations to use the latest AI-powered apps, and with hype insisting AI can solve any problem. • Obscured by this hype, there are some real examples of AI proving to be a helpful tool.
Article Summaries:
- The article argues that U.S. AI policy must balance the technology’s benefits with its real harms. It highlights growing concerns over bias in automated decisions for housing, employment, and education, as well as the environmental impact of large‑scale AI training. While acknowledging useful applications-such as scientific research, accessibility tools, and police‑accountability initiatives-the piece cautions against treating all language models as expert solutions. Drawing on the EFF’s history of advocating nuanced regulation, the author stresses that oversight should target specific use cases, entities, and contexts rather than blanket bans or unchecked preemption. The goal is to protect people from AI’s risks while preserving beneficial innovation.
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