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The AI PR Industrial ComplexForget the technology’s capabilities, there’s money to be made and points to score.
You can already see the machine at work. Corporations, politicians, threadbois, and ‘thought leaders’ are probing and prodding, searching desperately for ways to use AI to mask problems, gain favor with the public, and monetize attention. Amid real technological progress, they’re forging a broad, cynical, and craven AI PR industrial complex that’s just now coming into focus. This AI PR industrial complex is growing larger and worse than its predecessors — like crypto — because the technology is making anything seem possible. With so much opportunity, vacuousness fills the gaps, and exploitation follows. Random academics are hitting the speaking circuit to declare ChatGPT could turn us into paper clips. Middling politicians are writing implausible bills hoping to land on the Sunday talk shows. And CEOs are using AI as an excuse for absolutely anything that goes wrong in their business. With real innovation at hand, it can be difficult to distinguish nonsense from progress, but there are some telling signs. Companies declaring they’re using AI to replace human workers, for instance, are almost always just papering over more serious business problems. Their statements typically indicate they’re thinking small, are looking to reduce their workforce anyway, or both. Take IBM, for example. Just this week its CEO Arvind Krishna said his company would pause hiring for back-office roles that AI might replace, suggesting AI could take over as many as 7,800 positions. Technology this powerful should be able to make workers more productive, not unnecessary. And IBM itself sells that very idea to those who buy its Watson AI service. In its marketing materials, it says Watson helps “free up employees to focus on higher value work.” The incongruity is revealing. Instead of a company responding to a technological sea change, IBM feels more like a diminished giant using AI as a pretext to cut costs. Those close to the company say its statements — while giving it the AI sheen — mask the reality within, where the big, slow organization would struggle to hand thousands of jobs to AI. “Blanket statements work for people that don’t understand how technology can scale across the enterprise,” one ex-IBM employee told me. “It just completely gives more rationale to have more leeway to make more reductions.” In Washington, meanwhile, politicians and regulators are all but running in front of microphones to shout about AI. There’s indeed merit in examining the technology’s opportunities and risks, but the recent wave of interest feels more like posturing than productivity. In late April, for instance, a group of federal representatives introduced a bill to prevent AI from firing a nuclear weapon. Nobody is handing that decision-making to machines though, and if AI itself decides to fire a nuke, a bill won’t stop it. But the press release generated plenty of headlines. So, mission accomplished. Regulators are jumping into the fray as well. Federal Trade Commission chair Lina Khan, for instance, dropped a New York Times essay on Wednesday that was heavy on warnings but light on specifics. Khan suggested that generative AI technology which enables scammers could face potential regulatory action but didn’t spell out under what laws or rules. The notion was great for an op-ed but less so for governing. “The theories are very vague at this point,” said one ex-FTC lawyer. “My frustration is that the agencies are talking a lot of talk but not providing much transparency or guidance on how they think it should actually work.” Plenty of AI announcements have real substance to them, but the AI PR industrial complex will grow exponentially as the technology pushes forward. There’s just too much attention that comes with saying the term “AI” for anyone to stop now. This is why each new bit of news warrants a certain degree of skepticism, a necessary reflex amid the hype. We're not mad at coffee, just disappointed. (sponsored)MUD\WTR is a coffee alternative with functional mushrooms and ayurvedic herbs. With 1/7th the caffeine as a cup of coffee, you get sustained energy and focus without the jitters or 2 p.m. crash of coffee. Your morning routine sets the tone for your entire day and MUD\WTR supports a healthy mind, through healthy habits. With cacao and masala chai, you get the habit of coffee and functional mushrooms like the natural nootropic lion’s mane to promote focus throughout the day. Whether you prefer it hot or iced, with cream or without, you can brew it the same as your coffee. And for an extra boost, try our MCT oil coconut creamer.
What Else I’m Reading, Etc.AI Pioneer Geoff Hinton is nervous about the technology’s trajectory [New York Times] Microsoft opened Bing to the public and announced plugins are coming [Verge] TikTok is letting publishers sell ads next to their posts and keep 50% [WSJ] Apple’s too tied to China, an underrated vulnerability [FT] Flexport bought Shopify’s logistics business [CNBC] More on what’s happening inside Bluesky [The Verge] Musk threatened to reassign the NPR handle and told its reporter he sucked [NPR] See a story you like? Tweet it with “tip @bigtechnology” for consideration in this section. Number Of The Week.25% The Fed hiked interest rates again on Wednesday, to its highest level in 16 years, but signaled it might be done for a while. Quote Of The Week“I heard the old dude that created AI say 'This is not safe because the AI has got their own minds and these motherfuckers going to start doing their own shit.' I'm like, is we in a fucking movie right now or what. The fuck man?” Advertise with Big Technology?Advertising with Big Technology gets your product, service, or cause in front of the tech world’s top decision-makers. To reach 125,000+ plugged-in tech insiders, reply to this email or write alex.kantrowitz@gmail.com This Week On Big Technology Podcast: Is Social Media Doomed To Die? — With Ellis HamburgerEllis Hamburger is Snap's ex-head of marketing strategy, where he spent seven years before moving to The Browser Company. He joins Big Technology Podcast to discuss his view on why social media apps inevitably move from differentiated, and at times delightful, to something where all of them look a lot like TikTok. Hamburger breaks down the cycle: start with a novel format, scale, try to justify expectations, and then capitulate to market forces. Join us for an insider's perspective on the past, present, and future of social media. You can listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks again for reading. Please share Big Technology if you like it! And hit that Like Button if you support distinguishing AI fact from fiction. My book Always Day One digs into the tech giants’ inner workings, focusing on automation and culture. I’d be thrilled if you’d give it a read. You can find it here. Questions? Email me by responding to this email, or by writing alex.kantrowitz@gmail.com News tips? Find me on Signal at 516-695-8680
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