Battle Over the Soul of AI

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida addressed a joint meeting of the US Congress this week. His incredibly eloquent speech included the following, “Freedom and democracy are currently under threat around the globe...Climate change has caused natural disasters, poverty, and displacement on a global scale. In the COVID-19 pandemic, all humanity suffered. Rapid advances in AI technology have resulted in a battle over the soul of AI that is raging between its promise and its perils. The balance of economic power is shifting. The Global South plays a greater role in responding to challenges and opportunities and calls for a larger voice…."

He is right to bring up the "soul of AI" and as of yet we do not have international treaties on its development, use, and governance. Japan, Singapore, the UK, the MENA region, the EU, and to some extent the US all provide varying examples of agreements and laws. In our increasingly global economy, unilateral agreements governing the development, use, and ethics of AI are imperative. I have been watching the innovation, development, and emerging leaders from the Global South and personally believe that solutions to climate change and tech collaborations may largely come from there.

Societal challenges, climate change, and international statesmanship can seem worlds away from your nonprofit or startup business. However, whether addressing needs on the macro or micro level, we are all engaged in making our planet and community just a little bit better. I have had conversations with colleagues in food and farming nonprofits, as well as with colleagues at the forefront of the tech-for-good space. There is an assumption that their missions and purposes are entirely divergent. Instead of getting caught up in the primary tech use being tractors versus machine learning algorithms, I think we need to start with our intentions and then build our use and adoption of advanced technologies around that. 

Whether your team is three people or three hundred, not having an AI adoption framework will hurt you. Non-tech heavy organizations may think this conversation is irrelevant- but even Zoom has AI built in now for meeting notes. It is a feature that can really help with administrative efficiency, but it also bears privacy concerns. Again- a non-issue of your organization has a policy in place first. As a seasoned and somewhat spicy operations professional, I seek out streamlined, straightforward processes to keep nonprofits and startups on mission and thriving. That is why The Orange Peel Collaborative is now offering customized AI Integration Playbooks. Our team has the expertise and dedication to support your organization through the process, while staying true to who you are as an organization. 

Just like there are different ways to peel an orange, there are many ways to help our planet. Whether in your local community charity or through a global ESG fund, we can all do our part to make the world just a little bit better. Finding commonality with our international counterparts and bridging the gaps within the nonprofit space, is imperative if we are to find consensus on AI governance, develop creative solutions to climate change, and position ourselves for a more cohesive and prepared response to another global pandemic. I applaud Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for his message to the US Congress and hope that it is heeded.