Siobhan McSweeney hosted Mozilla's second annual Rise25 Awards in Dublin, Ireland on August 13, 2024. (Photo by Mozilla/Mark Harrison)
The second annual Rise25 Awards, held in Dublin, didn’t just celebrate 25 AI leaders, it aimed to chart the future.
The Gardiner Brothers, known for bringing Irish dancing to the attention of social media, kicked off the night with a performance that blended tradition and innovation, while Siobhan McSweeney of “Derry Girls” fame charmed the audience by joking that “AI will touch everything, like a kid with sticky fingers who comes home straight after cleaning.”
The winners then took to the stage to explain the principles that guide their work. Highlights include:
The stories we tell about AI will shape its future
Sinead Bovell, one of the 2024 Rise25 Artist Laureates, who works to prepare young people for a technology-driven future, stressed that the narratives we create around AI are crucial, shaping public understanding and ultimately influencing the direction of AI development.
“I'm really honoured to be recognised in the Artist category because the stories we tell about artificial intelligence are so important,” Sinead said. She noted that it's easy to fall into a dualistic view of AI, with the dangers and risks on the one hand and the benefits and possibilities on the other. “But the truth is, these stories aren't separate, they're intertwined,” she said.
Quoting technologist Jaron Lanier, Sinead argued that to be a true optimist about AI, we need to be tough critics: “We must continue to tell the story of a future where we get AI right and it changes humanity for the better – but we must also tell the story of how we got there, the difficult decisions we're making in the present, and why we choose to put humanity at the centre of our technological advancements.” For Sinead, understanding and telling these nuanced stories is essential to guiding AI towards an ethical and inclusive future.
The impact of AI on individuals could be enormous
Entrepreneurial winner Gemma Galdon Clavell, who focuses on finding and correcting biases and flaws in predictive and large-scale language modeling (LLM) tools, shared a very personal story that highlights the far-reaching impact that AI will have on individuals.
“If my school had used an AI system to assess my potential, I wouldn't be here today. My mother was 14 when she had me. I had major behavioral problems growing up. If we had put all that data into an AI system and asked, 'Should this girl go to school? Should we invest in her?' the answer would have been no.”
Gemma highlighted the dangers of relying solely on algorithms to determine one's chances, as these systems often reduce complex lives to mere data points: “I'm here because I beat the odds, because no one set my odds with an algorithm.”
Her story is a powerful reminder that AI systems need to be rigorously monitored and audited to ensure they don't limit the futures of people like her who may not meet their expectations. “Humans, like everyone else, deserve a chance,” she concluded, arguing for a future in which AI supports human potential rather than stifling it.
AI design choices have far-reaching consequences
Kans Kanka, philosopher, founder of the AI Ethics Lab and honored change agent, spoke passionately about the importance of ethical design in AI, emphasizing that every decision made in the design process has the potential to shape society.
“When we design AI systems, we're not just making technical choices; we're making moral and philosophical decisions,” she said. Kansoo urged developers to think about questions beyond code: “What is a good life? What is a better society?” These questions, she argued, should guide every step of AI development.
“The design choices we make today will determine whether AI becomes a tool for justice or a mechanism for perpetuating inequality,” Kance warned. She called for approaches to AI to incorporate ethical considerations from the start, with systems designed to promote fairness, transparency, and respect for human dignity. “Ethical design is not an afterthought, it is the foundation on which AI is built,” she said, highlighting the far-reaching implications these decisions will have on our collective future.
The untapped potential of AI lies in open collaboration
Builder award winner Aaron Gokaslan, a researcher who aims to keep generative model development in the open, highlighted the immense, yet largely untapped, potential of AI, especially in the area of open source development.
“We're in the very early stages of AI right now,” he said, noting that while AI has already made great strides, it has yet to realize its full potential. Aaron emphasized that the true power of AI will be unlocked through collaboration and accessibility, allowing a diverse range of innovators to contribute to its development.
“By sharing knowledge and resources, we can advance AI in ways that benefit all of society,” Aaron said.
Thoughtful AI policy is essential for a fair future
The Republic of Kenya's Special Envoy for Technology and Honourable Advocate, Philip Tigo, stressed the vital importance of thoughtful and proactive AI policy, warning that without it, AI could deepen existing inequalities and erode public trust.
“AI has the potential to revolutionize society, but without strong and thoughtful regulation, it could also exacerbate inequalities and erode public trust,” warned Philippe. To ensure that AI development benefits everyone, not just the privileged few, Philippe argued that AI policy must prioritize fairness, transparency, and accountability.
“We need policies that not only respond to the challenges of AI, but anticipate them and set clear guidelines for their ethical development and use,” said Philippe. He called for a collaborative approach to AI governance that involves not only policymakers and technologists, but the broader public. “By engaging diverse stakeholders, we can create a framework for AI to serve the public good.”
As the winners made clear, AI is like “sticky fingers” and leaves a mark wherever it touches. The challenge going forward is to ensure that those marks are positive. The evening was a powerful reminder that the future of AI is not just about innovation, but also about inclusivity, ethics, and accountability.
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