The Hidden Humans Behind Artificial Intelligence & the Sociopathology of Elon Musk

The Hidden Humans Behind Artificial Intelligence & the Sociopathology of Elon Musk

Author: The Creative Process Original Series: Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Innovation, Engineering, Robotics & Internet of Things March 12, 2025 Duration: 59:27

In this episode on Speaking Out of Place podcast Professor David Palumbo-Liu talks with Sarah T. Roberts about the hidden humans behind Artificial Intelligence, which is reliant on executives and business managers to direct AI to promote their brand and low-level, out-sourced, and poorly paid content managers to slog through masses of images, words, and data before they get fed into the machine. They talk about the cultural, sociological, financial, and political aspects of AI. They end by taking on Elon Musk and the DOGE project, as an emblem of how Silicon Valley executives have embraced a brand of tech rapture that disdains and destroys democracy and attacks the idea that people can take care of each other, independent of sociopathic libertarianism.

Sarah T. Roberts, Ph.D., is a full professor at UCLA (Gender Studies, Information Studies, Labor Studies), specializing in Internet and social media policy, infrastructure, politics and culture, and the intersection of media, technology, and society. She is the faculty director and co-founder of the UCLA Center for Critical Internet Inquiry (C2i2), co-director of the Minderoo Initiative on Technology & Power, and a research associate of the Oxford Internet Institute. Informed by feminist Science and Technology Studies perspectives, Roberts is keenly interested in the way power, geopolitics, and economics play out on and via the internet, reproducing, reifying, and exacerbating global inequities and social injustice.

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Photo of Elon Musk: Debbie Rowe
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The conversation about our technological future is often dominated by headlines and hype, leaving little room for nuance. AI & The Future of Humanity moves beyond the soundbites to explore the profound questions shaping our collective tomorrow. This podcast delves into the intricate landscape of artificial intelligence, automation, and emerging fields like quantum computing and nanotechnology, examining not just their potential but their real-world implications. Each episode features in-depth discussions with a diverse range of voices-from scientists and engineers to philosophers, activists, and policy experts. Listeners will hear thoughtful analysis on the ethical dilemmas of algorithmic bias, the societal shifts prompted by automation and the future of work, and the creative possibilities within virtual and augmented reality. We grapple with how big data and the Internet of Things are reshaping daily life, and critically assess the promises and perils of generative AI. The goal is to foster a deeper understanding of how these powerful tools are developed and deployed. By focusing on the roles that individuals, organizations, and governments can play, the series aims to cut through the noise, offering a grounded perspective on how we can steer innovation toward outcomes that benefit all of humanity. It’s a space for meaningful dialogue about the design choices we face today that will define the world we inhabit tomorrow. Tune in for a necessary and nuanced exploration of the forces that will shape the coming decades.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 142

AI & The Future of Humanity:  Artificial Intelligence, Technology, VR, Algorithm, Automation, ChatBPT, Robotics, Augmented Reality, Big Data, IoT, Social Media, CGI, Generative-AI, Innovation, Nanotechnology, Science, Quantum Computing: The Creative Proce
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