Madhumita Murgia on Addressing Unintended Harms of AI

Podcast Episode

Madhumita Murgia on Addressing Unintended Harms of AI

By Anirudh Suri and Madhumita Murgia

Published on May 23, 2024

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Interpreting India, Anirudh Suri is joined by Madhumita Murgia, author and AI editor of the Financial Times, to examine the profound impacts of artificial intelligence on society in her new book, Code Dependent: Living in the Shadows of AI. Their conversation centers around the human stories behind AI, spotlighting the inequalities and unintended harms its implementation can catalyze.

How is AI changing what it means to be human? How is AI altering the human experience and societal structures? What are some of the policy implications arising out of these unintended consequences?

EPISODE NOTES

In the past two years, artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly evolved from a burgeoning technology to a transformative force, reshaping industries and everyday life. Enthralled by AI's promises and potential, the tech world and society at large have surged ahead, often without pausing to consider the technology's broader implications. In her book, Code Dependent: Living in the Shadows of AI, Madhumita Murgia talks about the crucial gap in the discourse—the unintended consequences of AI. As AI redefines what it means to be human, it poses profound questions about its impact on individuals, families, societies, and cultures worldwide. A key concern is the concentration of power within a few large tech companies that control extensive data, capital, and infrastructure. The discussion extends to the impact of AI on labor, emphasizing the importance of ethical labor practices and fair wages for data workers, the challenges of biases in AI systems, and the inclusion of diverse voices in AI development to mitigate potential harms and ensure equitable advancements in technology.

What are the unintended consequences of AI on global societies and cultures? Will AI deepen existing inequalities or serve as a tool for greater equity? Will it centralize power among a few or democratize access to resources and opportunities? How does the concentration of AI power affect global politics and economics?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Madhumita Murgia joins Anirudh Suri to answer these pressing questions and discuss the ever-evolving nature of AI and its implications.

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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