iASK podcast - George Tilesch: Future with AI: Literacy, Ethics, and Regulation

In this episode of the iASK Podcast Series, Laszlo Karvalics, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Advanced Studies Kőszeg, discusses artificial intelligence with George Tilesch, President at the PHI Institute for Augmented Intelligence California and the author of the book “Between Brains”. Together, they address academic and everyday discourses surrounding AI and outline the main concerns about its present and future. Tilesch stresses the importance of AI literacy, ethics, and critical thinking, and highlights the need for humans to adapt exponentially to the development and spread of AI. He suggests that we should delegate some of our autonomy to machines without being hijacked by AI.
Tilesch criticizes the “terminator” discourse of the media and popular science, which focuses on the negative impact of AI, and instead encourages us to think about AI as a tool that scientists can use to enhance their work. He acknowledges that current AI systems are not yet capable of reasoning or understanding context. He stresses the importance of education and ethical applications of AI to secure a thriving future for humanity. He believes that we must strike a balance between innovation and regulation and emphasizes the significance of EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act, which defines AI broadly and considers its impact on society and fundamental rights of people. He suggests that we should focus on specific areas where AI can be put to best use, such as tackling climate change. Overall, Tilesch's message is clear: we must decide what AI should and should not do and work towards a world that we want to build together.