Have you ever wondered how AI image generators are able to create such convincing fake images, or how ChatGPT answers your questions? With all the buzz and hype around Generative AI, it is often suggested that these technologies are mysterious, or even magical, something we can use, we can interact with, but never really understand how they work or why they produce the things they do. That’s a dangerous suggestion as it stops people from asking questions or seeking explanations. So in this TED talk we lift the veil on Generative AI and take a peek at what is actually going on. Doing so reveals that rather than being magical or mysterious Generative AI is actually the product of human labour and decision-making. This talk explores some of the social and environmental impacts of Generative AI and asks if these tools are worth the heavy price. Mhairi Aitken is an Ethics Fellow in the Public Policy Programme at The Alan Turing Institute (the UK’s national institute for AI and data science), a Visiting Senior Lecturer at the Digital Environment Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London and an Honorary Senior Fellow at Australian Centre for Health Engagement, Evidence and Values (ACHEEV) at the University of Wollongong, Australia. She is a Sociologist whose research examines social and ethical dimensions of digital innovation. Mhairi was included in the 2023 international list of “100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics”. She is passionate about finding creative ways of engaging members of the public in discussions around the roles of data and AI in society. She is a regular performer in the Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and has performed at the Edinburgh International Science Festival, Glasgow International Comedy Festival and in stand-up comedy clubs. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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