Debunking the AI Story: How will Big Tech Impact our Future?
When I sat down with Meredith Whittaker, I didn't expect another conversation about AI's limitless potential. I was spot on. She pulled no punches when it came to Big Tech's dominance and delivered a thought-provoking perspective on AI hype that every C-suite executive should hear.
Whittaker, with her insider's perspective, didn't just challenge the AI hype – she systematically dismantled it.
"I'm not supportive of a future where a handful of large companies claim ownership over mechanistic intelligence and our decision-making processes," she said, cutting through the tech industry's glossy promises.
What emerged shapes a sobering perspective: the current AI narrative isn't about innovation – it's about power consolidation. The tech giants – Google, Microsoft, Meta, Amazon – aren't just developing AI; they're reshaping our digital landscape to entrench their dominance further.
Whittaker's insights force us to confront uncomfortable truths. As she calls it, the 'surveillance business model' isn't just invasive — it's the engine driving Big Tech's AI supremacy. Our data, our online behaviours, and even our creative outputs are being harvested to fuel AI systems that primarily serve corporate interests.
But here's the point.
Whittaker debunked the notion that bigger always means better in AI. The 'hallucination problem' in large language models isn't a bug – it's a feature of systems built on probabilistic outputs rather than genuine understanding.
“These technologies have no real understanding of truth or veracity.”
Whittaker's vision for AI's future is both a challenge and a call to action. She advocates for smaller, localised AI solutions tailored to specific needs. Imagine AI that serves your business and community, not opaque big tech overlords. This would require a rethink of how AI is created and how communities raise the social capital to drive investments in AI development, architecture and oversight.
This shift towards 'AI democratisation' isn't just about technology – it's about reclaiming agency.
Whittaker emphasised, "We need to focus on creating data about our world and communities to make better decisions and build better futures." For us in the C-suite, this means rethinking our AI strategies from the ground up. Whittaker's words lingered as we wrapped up: "We must start from the context in which AI is promised to bring benefits and ask if that is what we truly need."
This profound reframing of the AI proposition may prompt us to ask a simple business question - are we just chasing the next nail with the AI hammer? The AI promise concerns more than who has the biggest model or the most data. It's about who can harness this technology responsibly, ethically, and in ways that truly serve our human needs. Business leaders have a unique opportunity and responsibility to shape this human-centred future.
So, I ask you: Are you ready to challenge the Big Tech AI narrative? Can we envision and create AI solutions that empower our businesses and communities rather than further concentrating power in the hands of a few? Do you agree with this view? The future of AI — and perhaps of our digital society — could be what's at stake.
Hugh Evans - CEO
FromHereOn delivers Digital, Data, and AI transformation, underpinned by core skills in architecture, human-centred design, business agility, strategy, and transformation design and delivery.
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