Everyone hates AI
Well, it's been building up inside of me
For, oh, I don't know how long
I don't know why, but I keep thinking
Something's bound to go wrong
~Beach Boys, Don't Worry Baby
A backlash against AI has been building for some time as the industry faces increasingly negative scrutiny. Many people are starting to question whether this technology is all it’s cracked up to be — or whether it could even be dangerous. This isn’t the message AI leaders want to project, yet the data suggests it’s precisely how people are feeling.
As venture capitalist Ashley Mayer wrote in her Safe Space blog recently, Silicon Valley isn’t doing a great job of making the case for AI. “The headlines that reach mainstream audiences range from depressing to doomsday: rising electricity prices, chatbot-assisted psychosis or suicide, showdowns with the Pentagon, and the coming obsolescence of white collar jobs.”
Against that backdrop, it’s hardly surprising that polls show a gloomy public mood. A recent NBC News survey found that 57% of respondents believe the risks of AI outweigh the benefits, compared with 34% who say the opposite. Even worse, the poll found that just 26% held a positive view of AI. That’s not a great place for vendors to be.
Look in the mirror
But they really only have themselves to blame. Some of it is the hype-reality gap. Some of it is scaremongering, trying to make AI sound more powerful than it is. And some of it is outright misleading claims, with companies blaming AI for massive layoffs when it’s really just an excuse, a practice that some have started calling 'AI washing.' The idea of AI taking jobs isn’t going over too well. But that’s not the only issue.
Then there’s the data center building boom. These facilities consume land, water, electricity and raw materials. They can provide a short-term boost to local construction jobs, but once they’re built, they don’t employ many people, while continuing to suck up resources. Communities are starting to question whether the trade-offs are worth it.
At the same time, companies are spending billions on these facilities. Meanwhile, the price of food, rent, health insurance and gas keeps rising, and these projects often come with tax breaks for wealthy tech companies. It’s not unreasonable to think some of that money could help address growing income inequality.
Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez jumped into the fray this week when they introduced data center moratorium legislation tied to AI safety. Specifically, their bill calls for protections for consumers, workers and the environment before construction could continue, showing just how much AI is becoming entwined in the political conversation.
A recent Time magazine cover story pointed to this problem with the title 'The People Versus AI'. I realize the irony on many levels of a print publication owned by Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff calling out AI, but it's another example of mainstream media tapping into the public's AI angst.
The real issue is how the industry can reverse the trend. Mayer, who has a background in PR and communications, sees it as a messaging problem: "As an industry, we’re collectively failing at our primary narrative objective: to give people a reason to root for the future," she wrote.
Yet when AI is being marketed as more powerful than it really is, fear becomes a rational response, especially around mental health, jobs and the environment. It's no surprise that politicians will respond accordingly. It’s up to industry leaders to change the conversation, but so long as the money keeps flowing, there’s little incentive to do so.
~Ron
