The current US White House seems to be exploring every possibility that might secure another avenue for what opponents (and quite a few lawmakers) refer to as “collusion” with (Big) Tech.
A new scheme has just been announced, that revolves around the “AI” and “disinformation” buzzwords, and includes the US State Department, Meta, Anthropic, Google, IBM, Microsoft, Nvidia, and OpenAI.
Looks like quite an “ensemble cast” – or “usual suspects” – right there.
It’s called, Partnership for Global Inclusivity on AI, and it was announced by Secretary of State Anthony Blinken along with a decision to bankroll programs “identifying disinformation using AI” with $3 million.
We obtained a copy of the report for you here.
Those are expected to point to whatever is considered “mis/disinformation” but also, “prevent online hate from spreading to offline violence for members of religious minority communities.”
Not for nothing, the “partnership” was announced in New York City, and on the sidelines of the ongoing annual UN General Assembly meetings, which have already produced some controversial decisions.
Here, according to an official press release, Blinken was launching this, and other initiatives “to harness the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) to advance sustainable development globally.”
Is AI really advancing rapidly? And do the AI sub-components (machine learning, ML) really sustain anything at this point, other than themselves, i.e., their developers and governments around the world using, for example, ML to push for mass surveillance-enabling projects such as digital ID?
These are not the questions Blinken is likely to be asked, and that’s just as well because he likely would not know how to respond.
Instead, he told the world that the tech companies would “commit” over $100 million of their own “to unlock AI’s potential as a powerful tool for sustainable development and improved quality of life in developing countries while maintaining an unwavering commitment to safety, security, and trustworthiness in AI systems.”
This statement itself reads like it was generated by, say, ChatGPT – but, fear not, because there is real intent behind vacuous platitudes.
They rear their head in the two reports announced at the same time – The Global AI Research Agenda, and, The AI in Global Development Playbook.
It’s about what your democracy-loving ancestors would warn you about, without ever knowing about AI, but fully aware of what governments can and will do: censorship (this time around centered around “AI”) introducing “AI” stamps that can be turned into flagging memes (satire) at the drop of a dime.
The second report has more to do with the current White House getting all its ducks in a row (some call it, “collusion”) in this campaign.
“Whole-of-government-governance and oversight frameworks that specifically address the misuse of AI technologies,” is what’s cited in the report, as well as private companies supporting “exchanges of information between government officials, policymakers, workers and their organizations and other stakeholders to voice concerns around how AI is designed and deployed in LMICs (developing countries), and factor this guidance into product development.”
