Artificial Intelligence: A Double-Edged Sword in the Hands of Big Corporations, According to Near Foundation
Summary:
This article discusses the potential benefits and risks of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly in relation to monopolization and anti-competition by large corporations. The CEOs of the Near Foundation share their concerns over "corporate-owned AI", which encourages unhealthy behavior in social media and the potential for AI's capacity to manipulate users, leading to societal damage on a global scale. The article also explores the potential advantages of AI, including the ability to transform non-tech-savvy users into builders and the use of AI assistants for automated tasks. Near Foundation is further mentioned regarding its work towards a vision of "user-owned AI".
Artificial intelligence (AI) could spur the advancement of novel tools and technologies that will positively transform lives, foster economic growth, and stimulate originality and invention. However, it also carries the risk of consolidating power within proprietary systems, further cementing the positions of established corporations and potentially blocking Web3 indefinitely. This concern is shared by Chris Donovan, the COO of the Near Foundation, responsible for the Near Protocol blockchain abstraction protocol. Donovan expressed fears that the open web may not become a reality without a secure, unalteringly open setting for AI advancements.
Illia Polosukhin, co-founder and CEO of Near Foundation, shared his concerns over the threat AI brings to open systems. He addressed the fact that large corporations, striving for constant revenue increase, significantly drive AI's development. Polosukhin termed this as the "corporate-owned AI" paradigm, explaining how these corporations use AI to increase user engagement and thus, maximize profits. Polosukhin foresees a grim future where users are trapped within corporate platforms with limited options.
Polosukhin views AI's potential to actively control users as a major threat to competition. He brings instances from the past, such as the anti-trust lawsuit against Microsoft for trying to monopolize the web browser market. He also mentioned the recent allegation against Microsoft by the EU for unethical practices associated with Microsoft Teams and Office integration, providing Microsoft an unfair advantage over competitors like Slack and Zoom.
Looking into the social implications of AI, Polosukhin and Donovan fear the exacerbation of detrimental tendencies in social media. Donovan voiced concerns over the encouragement of unhealthy behavior and misinformation, leading to societal harm on a global level.
On a more encouraging note, Polosukhin identified that AI can help individuals become more efficient, enabling even non-technical individuals to construct or modify applications according to their needs. He also discussed the potential of AI assistants that can accomplish tasks such as booking flights.
Near Foundation is actively working towards its vision of "user-owned AI", with six partners already announced for the project. Polosukhin envisions Near becoming the fundamental layer, integrating identity and payments into the protocol, thereby enabling their grand design for the future.
Published At
6/27/2024 4:17:00 PM
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