Unity in Diversity: The Path to Inclusive AGI Research
Dear Singularitarians,
The recent Beneficial AGI Summit & Unconference 2024 (BGI24) served as one of the most insightful gatherings of scholars, industry leaders, and AI enthusiasts from all backgrounds in recent history, coming together to discuss the potential challenges that stand in the way of our journey to achieving beneficial Artificial General Intelligence (BGI).
Amidst all the enlightening discussions, one panel stood out for its rich tapestry of insights on global collaboration in the field of AGI R&D.
Moderated by SingularityNET Decentralization Programme Lead Dr. Esther Galfalvi, the panel brought together experts with diverse backgrounds, highlighting challenges and proposing innovative solutions to foster inclusivity and cooperation across the globe.
Panelists included:
· Betelhem Dessie, Co-Founder & CEO, iCog Anyone Can Code
· Ruiting Lian, Computational Linguist, SingularityNET
· Yip Thy-Diep Ta, CEO, J3d.ai (Jedi)
· Youngsook Park, Prof. Future Studies, Seoul Media Institute of Technology
The panel’s discussion highlighted the importance of global collaboration not only in the technical development of AGI, but also in addressing the ethical, social, and economic challenges that naturally arise when answering some of the most fundamental questions about AGI, such as how to develop it in a way that is truly beneficial to all sentient beings.
To watch the full panel titled “Fostering Diversity and Global Collaboration in AGI Research”, please navigate to the Beneficial AGI Summit 2024 livestream.
A Diverse Spectrum of Insights
The panelists shared a common belief in the transformative potential of AGI but they all noted that in order for humanity to create an AGI that is truly beneficial to all sentient beings, there are several areas we as a humanity need to focus on improving: namely inclusivity, education, and global participation in its development.
Betelhem shared that some initiatives in Ethiopia are aimed at demystifying AI for the younger generation, fostering a culture of innovation and creativity from an early age. She explained that this not only prepares the workforce of the future for the advent of a technology like AGI but also helped them feel more familiar with the idea of representing their cultural and societal perspectives when it came to AI development.
Yip Thy-Diep Ta, with her ambitious vision of making peace more profitable than war, discussed the critical role of developing ethical frameworks and community-driven development in realizing the full potential of AGI. She emphasized the importance of “zero exclusion” in the global discourse on AGI, advocating for efforts to bridge the gap between the technological elite and marginalized communities worldwide.
Youngsook Park shared insights from her extensive experience in public service, reflecting on the importance of cross-border cooperation and the investment we all need to make in our education in order to cultivate a globally aware and prepared society. She shared an interesting story about living with robots that gives us, the audience, a glimpse into a future where technology seamlessly integrates into our daily lives.
Ruiting Lian, bridging the cultural divide between East and West, called for a harmonious integration of diverse philosophical traditions in AGI development. She argued that incorporating Eastern wisdom and ethics could provide a more balanced and holistic approach to creating AGI systems that truly understand and respect human values.
Naturally, bringing together so many experts from such a diverse set of backgrounds is guaranteed to provide incredible new insights and help us answer some of the most pressing questions on our journey to beneficial AGI. In the panel, Dr. Esther Galfalvi posed one of those questions…
How do we foster global collaboration on AI in a complex world stage?
Betelhem highlighted the importance of making AI development more inclusive by involving people from different parts of the world, especially Africa.
She shared her stories about initiatives like the DigiTruck in Ethiopia, which brings AI and coding education to children as young as eight, to spark their curiosity and inspire a new generation to contribute to AI.
Youngsook Park discussed how we can overcome the fear of AI through education and familiarization. She shared his personal experience of living with the Grace robot, which helped him overcome his initial fear and dependence on AI for information.
Yip Thy-Diep Ta emphasized the need for inclusivity and zero exclusion in AI development. She suggested that true collaboration in AI requires efforts to bring the right people to the table, which involves curating representatives from diverse backgrounds and integrating their voices and ideas.
Ruiting Lian advocated for incorporating Eastern philosophies and wisdom into AI development to achieve a balanced and holistic approach. She also shared examples of creative uses of AI in education that embrace these philosophies. One of these examples involved a philosophy group in China that embarked on a creative educational initiative using AI. They crafted stories that introduced the concept of a “Cosmic Intelligence” managing Earth’s evolution, including natural disasters and human conflicts. The aim was to engage children in how to overcome these challenges using knowledge from various sources, including ancient wisdom and modern technology.
Ultimately, despite their different backgrounds and experiences, the panelists all agreed — education plays a pivotal role in preparing society for the changes AGI will usher in, as well as advocating for initiatives that promote STEM education, critical thinking, and ethical understanding from an early age.
As we reflect on the myriad insights and forward-looking discussions from the Beneficial AGI Summit & Unconference 2024, it’s clear that the journey toward achieving truly beneficial Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is as much about advancing technology as it is about harnessing diverse human talents, perspectives, and cultural insights from all around the globe.
Only by doing this — fostering an inclusive, interdisciplinary, and intercultural dialogue — can we navigate the complex landscape of AGI development and steer it toward outcomes that benefit all of humanity.
About SingularityNET
SingularityNET is a decentralized AI Platform and Marketplace for Artificial Intelligence (AI) services. Our mission is the creation of a decentralized, democratic, inclusive, and beneficial Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), democratizing access to AI and AGI technologies through:
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