Alondra Nelson

How should we govern emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, and better design their impact on societies around the world? Last week, American social science scholar and researcher Alondra Nelson – who also helped develop the Biden-Harris Administration’s Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights in the United States- found time to discuss these pressing issues with Urs Gasser and the audience at the TUM Think Tank.

The one-hour fireside chat highlighted topics including:

● What Dr. Nelson took away from this month’s AI Safety Summit in the UK.
● Her appointment as a member of the United Nations High-Level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence.
● President Biden’s recent Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence.
● The current harms and potential future impacts of AI on our lives, economies, and democratic values.
● The potential of local communities and the general public to have a role how AI-related technologies are governed.
● The potential to learn from how we’ve mishandled new technologies before.

In case you missed this very insightful talk, here are the key takeaways:

● Engaging impacted communities is as important as academic research; connecting with people hearing their thoughts, fears and ideas is key to a safe and responsible introduction of technologies like AI and to understanding how they may affect everyday life, jobs and privacy issues.
● Policies, concerning AI and other modern technology, must be evolving constructs that adapt to innovation, technology, and social priorities on a regular basis.
● Long lasting (global) communities for AI policy research and development need to be established.
● New AI institutions should be envisioned as opportunities to strengthen democracy, and not just technological organizations. Innovation and democratic values, including the preservation of our rights and opportunities, hand-in-hand, can build societal strength and engage communities at local and global levels.

We are delighted to have had the opportunity to welcome Alondra Nelson to the TUM Think Tanks Fireside Chat to hear about her insightful takes on current AI policy and governance developments.