I've also noticed the strong critique from (some) young people in the attitudes research we've done, and in young people I know. You've talked about jobs, environment and coolness, but for some young people there is also a deeply political critique about power and exploitation.
Being more online, embedded in fandoms, they've seen artists' work being exploited without consent. The complaint is not just or even primarily about their job security (for many artists involved in fandoms, their art is simply expression, not a means of making money). It's about unfairness and extraction.
There's also a straightforward critique of the concentration of power and wealth that is so evident in the current AI landscape.
Again, I'm not saying all young people feel this way, but there is certainly a subset that feel violent antipathy towards AI and its makers, not just a roll-your-eyes-at-the-boomers turn away from it.
You're totally right Jeni, and I think this speaks to something about who is a 'tastemaker' when it comes to AI. I wrote in an earlier post about a coalition that the Democrats need to be aware of in the US, and noted there that the fact that celebrity artists (actors, musicians, visual artists) have had such a poor experience of the AI industry is important not only because of their platform but because they are so much more trusted than many other public figures (at least by their fans). The commencement speaker trend this summer keeps growing too, it's fascinating and still has a way to run I suspect.
This is a timely piece, Verity. Concerns over AI - whether ethical, aesthetic or economic - need to be addressed by every business. Employees are rightly wanting a transparent discussion about the limits of AI deployment.
I've also noticed the strong critique from (some) young people in the attitudes research we've done, and in young people I know. You've talked about jobs, environment and coolness, but for some young people there is also a deeply political critique about power and exploitation.
Being more online, embedded in fandoms, they've seen artists' work being exploited without consent. The complaint is not just or even primarily about their job security (for many artists involved in fandoms, their art is simply expression, not a means of making money). It's about unfairness and extraction.
There's also a straightforward critique of the concentration of power and wealth that is so evident in the current AI landscape.
Again, I'm not saying all young people feel this way, but there is certainly a subset that feel violent antipathy towards AI and its makers, not just a roll-your-eyes-at-the-boomers turn away from it.
You're totally right Jeni, and I think this speaks to something about who is a 'tastemaker' when it comes to AI. I wrote in an earlier post about a coalition that the Democrats need to be aware of in the US, and noted there that the fact that celebrity artists (actors, musicians, visual artists) have had such a poor experience of the AI industry is important not only because of their platform but because they are so much more trusted than many other public figures (at least by their fans). The commencement speaker trend this summer keeps growing too, it's fascinating and still has a way to run I suspect.
This is a timely piece, Verity. Concerns over AI - whether ethical, aesthetic or economic - need to be addressed by every business. Employees are rightly wanting a transparent discussion about the limits of AI deployment.
Thank you Paul, and you're absolutely right. I meet businesses every day who are grappling with this.