December Newsletter
Director’s Note:
Last month was a pivotal time in American politics with significant implications for AI policy. The outcome of the elections signals significant shifts in the regulation of AI in the U.S. and beyond. In particular, the incoming administration’s desire to roll back current nascent regulations is guaranteed to shift the balance of power, control, and policy away from public advocacy toward corporate interest. A rollback on AI regulation is guaranteed to also thwart the safe development of AI systems even beyond current levels. A few developments are notable in this regard.
Domestically, we are less likely to see serious regulation in harnessing the current wave of AI-enabled misinformation, deepfakes, etc, on social media and beyond. With Elon Musk at the helm of technology policy, there’s going to be a strong push for an unharnessed use of AI. As I said in an interview with the Observer, “He will use his new-fangled role to insert AI into a dominant position at the expense of competitors who have a history of divergent agendas and philosophies.”
A related development is the naming of an “AI Czar.” As I said in that same interview, “The A.I. ecosystem will become further toughened and tightened, with the prospect of new monopolies emerging. For a potential A.I. Czar, that’s both a blessing and a curse.” It is a blessing because they have to align only a small number of players. It is a curse because these players are too powerful and they are at the same time in intense competition. The only way a Czar could bring them in line would be to cut the market into sectors that could be then assigned to key players, in the same way that medieval kings divided territories among feudal lords, buying their loyalty in the process. For better or for worse, we don’t live in feudal times, and the would-be Czar will have a hard time pulling this off. Their power, in other words, will be rather limited.
Finally, under protectionist policies, the global regulation of AI will suffer at a time when the world’s circumstances demand a more collaborative environment. As I said in an interview with TechCrunch, “The political and geopolitical ramifications of this can be huge, enabling more authoritarian and oppressive uses of AI across the globe.” A sad example of this are comments by Peter Kyle, the British Technology Secretary, who urges governments to treat big corporations “with a sense of humility.” The inverted logic behind this argument is apparent at once, surrendering an important function of modern states to the profit-driven agendas of big corporations.
Happy Holidays! - Hamid R. Ekbia
Member Spotlight: Distinguished Professor, Yiran Chen
At AAAIP, we celebrate and share the profound work of our members. This month, we are proud to spotlight John Cocke Distinguished Professor Yiran Chen of Duke University. Dr. Chen is a fervent advocate for the responsible use of AI technologies and champions academic belonging, openness, freedom, and equality. He currently holds a leadership role within the ATHENA Institute and NSF AI Institute for Edge Computing.
ATHENA Institute: Edge Computing
The National Science Foundation (NSF) AI Institute for Edge Computing Leveraging Next Generation Networks (ATHENA), led by Duke University, is revolutionizing modern edge computing. Athena brings together experts from eight universities to drive advancements in AI foundations, computing paradigms, networked systems, and edge applications. Its research agenda spans four categories: Foundational AI, Computer Systems, Networked Computing Systems, and Services and Applications.
Athena integrates these approaches into three pillars: AI-driven Edge Computing Systems, Collaborative Extended Reality (XR), and Situational Awareness and Autonomy. The institute combines cutting-edge research with partnerships with industry leaders such as Motorola Solutions, AT&T, Microsoft, the National Security Agency, Thales, Samsung, the United States AirForce Laboratory, and more, fostering domestic and international collaboration on this transformative technology.