Source: Fortune
Summary
OpenAI’s chief global affairs officer, Chris Lehane, is warning against irresponsible messaging around AI, which he believes is fueling a growing backlash against the technology. A recent NBC News poll found that 46% of US voters have a negative view of AI, and violent incidents have occurred, including a Molotov cocktail attack on OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s home. Lehane argues that the AI community needs to do a better job of explaining the benefits of the technology to the public.
Our Reading
The numbers tell one story.
AI companies are booming, with valuations doubling and tripling in months. But the constant drumbeat of promises about AI’s labor market impact is fueling a backlash. OpenAI’s Chris Lehane is warning against irresponsible messaging, but it’s hard to square that with Microsoft AI chief Mustafa Suleyman’s prediction that AI will automate most white-collar tasks in a year to 18 months. The data so far doesn’t support the extreme predictions, but the fear of AI is real, and it’s getting violent.
Meanwhile, AI optimists are singing the praises of the technology, predicting a three-day work week and a life of leisure. But Lehane is skeptical, and the data supports his skepticism. The impact of AI on the labor market has yet to appear in macro data, and employers are still posting job gains.
The announcement sounds familiar. It’s time to reframe the conversation around AI.
Author: Evan Null
