AI Models Are Not Like Us
Monday, November 10, 2:00-3:00 pm via Zoom
Speaker: Mark MacCarthy
Are AI systems conscious? Do they have independent agency? And if so, shouldn’t we protect their rights, interests, and welfare? As today’s AI systems become increasingly capable, AI ethicists and even some AI companies are taking these questions seriously. And so will we in this talk on AI ethics and policy. Our speaker is Mark MacCarthy, adjunct faculty member in the Graduate School at Georgetown University.
We’ll also address the existential risks that might be posed by highly capable AI systems. Science fiction movies have accustomed us to expect that AI systems will seek to destroy or enslave their human creators. But serious scientists are warning that today’s highly capable AI systems are on the verge of matching or surpassing human intelligence, even while AI developers have failed to align their conduct and output with human values and interests. They want a moratorium on attempts to develop superintelligent AI systems - until we learn how to control them.
Come and learn about some of the important ethical and policy challenges posed by today’s hottest new technology! There will be time for questions.
Registration
This virtual tour is open to everyone as part of the collaboration between FHNN and Little Falls Village. Register online. FHNN members or volunteers who need help registering can email information.fhnn@gmail.com with AI in the subject line.
Speaker Information
Mark MacCarthy is an adjunct faculty member in the Communication, Culture & Technology Program in the Graduate School at Georgetown University, where he teaches courses in technology policy. He also teaches courses on privacy and AI ethics in the Philosophy Department. He is a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Technology Law and Policy at Georgetown Law and a Senior Policy Fellow at the Center for Business and Public Policy at Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business. He is a senior fellow at the Future of Privacy Forum, where works on AI and data privacy projects. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Public Policy at the Software & Information Industry Association, where he directed initiatives and advised member companies on technology policy, privacy, AI ethics, content moderation and competition policy in tech. He has been a consultant on technology policy issues for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and for the Aspen Institute. His previous public policy experience includes senior positions with Visa, Inc., the Wexler|Walker Group, Capital Cities/ABC, and the Energy and Commerce Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives. He holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from Indiana University and an MA in economics from the University of Notre Dame. He is the author of Regulating Digital Industries: How Public Oversight Can Encourage Competition, Protect Privacy, and Ensure Free Speech (Brookings 2023).