AI's contradictory nature: Leading experts raise concerns at the 2024 WLA Forum
At the 2024 World Laureates Forum, Christopher Pissarides, a Nobel laureate, gave a keynote address focusing on the opportunities and challenges posed by AI in the workplace. He highlighted the importance of ensuring that AI development is in harmony with human well-being.
TroibNews 
While AI holds the promise to transform industries and enhance our lives, it is essential to acknowledge its potential drawbacks, stated Christopher Pissarides, the 2010 Nobel Prize laureate in economics and a Professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science, during a keynote speech on Friday.
Pissarides addressed the topic of "AI at Work" at the opening ceremony of the 2024 World Laureates Forum, which commenced in Shanghai, eastern China, on Friday.
He remarked, "Many choices in AI development are not on the right track of 'improving human well-being'."
Highlighting the dynamics within the labor market, he pointed out that changes in roles will be more prevalent than outright job loss. In the age of AI, jobs will both emerge and vanish on a daily basis. He advised, "Employees should pay more attention to the skills needed to stand firm in a world full of AI."
Pissarides underscored the differences between traditional AI and generative AI, stating, "Traditional AI relies on data, while generative AI can make decisions and even pose a threat to professional jobs." He further added, "Many industries need to rethink their recruitment and training processes."
Similarly, Jon Kleinberg, a winner of the 2024 World Laureates Association Prize, discussed potential biases and the risk of cultural homogenization stemming from AI during a speech at Fudan University on October 21.
As a professor of computer science at Cornell University, Kleinberg cautioned that although algorithms may not possess intrinsic biases, they can mirror the biases inherent in the training data.
"Even if there is a very rich amount of data, data sometimes cannot 100 percent restore the truth of the world," Kleinberg noted. He also pointed out that the widespread use of identical algorithms for decision-making could result in cultural uniformity, leading to convergent decisions and cultures.
At the 2024 World Laureates Forum on Intelligent Science on October 26, Gong Ke, the executive dean of the Chinese Academy of New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Strategies, highlighted that "artificial intelligence did not bring threats as soon as it was born. Instead, threats are accompanied by opportunities." He stressed the importance of three "companions" in AI development: safety, reliability, and trustworthiness.
The 2024 World Laureates Forum is set to continue until October 27, featuring numerous planned forums.
Lucas Dupont for TROIB News
Pissarides addressed the topic of "AI at Work" at the opening ceremony of the 2024 World Laureates Forum, which commenced in Shanghai, eastern China, on Friday.
He remarked, "Many choices in AI development are not on the right track of 'improving human well-being'."
Highlighting the dynamics within the labor market, he pointed out that changes in roles will be more prevalent than outright job loss. In the age of AI, jobs will both emerge and vanish on a daily basis. He advised, "Employees should pay more attention to the skills needed to stand firm in a world full of AI."
Pissarides underscored the differences between traditional AI and generative AI, stating, "Traditional AI relies on data, while generative AI can make decisions and even pose a threat to professional jobs." He further added, "Many industries need to rethink their recruitment and training processes."
Similarly, Jon Kleinberg, a winner of the 2024 World Laureates Association Prize, discussed potential biases and the risk of cultural homogenization stemming from AI during a speech at Fudan University on October 21.
As a professor of computer science at Cornell University, Kleinberg cautioned that although algorithms may not possess intrinsic biases, they can mirror the biases inherent in the training data.
"Even if there is a very rich amount of data, data sometimes cannot 100 percent restore the truth of the world," Kleinberg noted. He also pointed out that the widespread use of identical algorithms for decision-making could result in cultural uniformity, leading to convergent decisions and cultures.
At the 2024 World Laureates Forum on Intelligent Science on October 26, Gong Ke, the executive dean of the Chinese Academy of New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Strategies, highlighted that "artificial intelligence did not bring threats as soon as it was born. Instead, threats are accompanied by opportunities." He stressed the importance of three "companions" in AI development: safety, reliability, and trustworthiness.
The 2024 World Laureates Forum is set to continue until October 27, featuring numerous planned forums.
Lucas Dupont for TROIB News
