“Machines That Fail Us”, Episode 4: Building different AI futures
Starting with its fourth episode, the “Machines That Fail Us” podcast series tries to make sense of our future with artificial intelligence and of the way forward. So far, most of the AI we can use has been built on ideas, concepts and expectations coming from Western techno-cultures and business approaches. Similarly, most of the issues and problems we have discussed during the previous episodes, such as AI errors and their discriminatory nature, are also strongly connected to the values we have given to AI from a Western-centric perspective. This is the time for imagining different approaches to the technology, especially to make it more inclusive and truly global.
To start, in this episode, we discuss the importance of moving beyond the binary perspectives of utopian versus dystopian and Western-centric views of AI and technology at large. This shift is crucial for creating potential different AI futures that can be beneficial for the desires, expectations and rights of people of the entire planet. We start this work of future building with Prof. Payal Arora, a Professor of Inclusive AI Cultures at Utrecht University and the author of the forthcoming book “From Pessimism to Promise. Lessons from the Global South on Designing Inclusive Tech” (MIT Press).
“Machines That Fail Us” #4 | Building different AI futures
The “Machines That Fail Us” podcast is made possible thanks to a grant provided by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)’s “Agora” scheme. The podcast is produced by The Human Error Project Team in cooperation with the Communication office of the Universität St. Gallen (HSG) and postproduction is curated by Podcastschimiede. Philip Di Salvo, who works as researcher and lecturer in the HSG’s Institute for Media and Communications Management and is part of The Human Error Project since 2022, will be the main host of the podcast. Episodes will be released on the HSG website, on The Human Error Project website and all major audio and podcasting platforms.