AI regulation in America is not a missed opportunity but rather exactly what is being optimized for - money. This article explores why and the fundamental differences in how the EU and USA treat their citizens.
There is a story people tell about AI regulation, and it goes like this: the technology is moving too fast, governments can’t keep up, regulators are overwhelmed, and by the time anyone writes a law the thing they’re trying to regulate has already evolved into something else entirely.
No. That’s not the story people are telling about AI regulation. It goes like this:
If we regulate AI, that will give an advantage to AI companies in other countries. They will surpass our AI capabilities and leave us in the technological dust.
There’s a related story:
If we regulate AI, we’re likely to create more problems because Boomers don’t understand technology.
Oh its much worse than that. There is this segment of rich tech bros who have emerged from an unregulated silicon valley. After decades of having their egos stroked there is a sort of tech fetish cult emerging. Thiel is the most prominent example of this but there are many others who are into this as well. They literally believe that AI will herald some sort of religious revelation. If you are opposed to AI or seek to regulate AI of course you are the antichrist. I wish I was making this up.
The only reason this matters is because these rich tech bro assholes haven’t ever had to pay taxes and the more money you have, the louder your voice is and the more you can pay to influence politics.
Tech innovation is normally faster of the process of approving a new law and of course any law you write trying to regulate something in your state is not applicable everywhere else.
If we regulate AI, we’re likely to create more problems because Boomers don’t understand technology.
It’s definitely not just boomers who don’t understand technology. I’d wager there’s more Boomers who understand tech than there are Gen Z who understand tech.
I also actually think the story goes more like “if we regulate AI we can’t take kickbacks, use the unregulated AI market to enrich ourselves, or use the tech for our techno-facist nanny state big brother dreams”.
Because while the general red tape does take a little while, they aren’t even trying to regulate AI on a large scale. Smaller governments are making a tacit effort but by and large most of them see this as a way to enact mass surveillance policy.
No. That’s not the story people are telling about AI regulation. It goes like this:
If we regulate AI, that will give an advantage to AI companies in other countries. They will surpass our AI capabilities and leave us in the technological dust.
There’s a related story:
If we regulate AI, we’re likely to create more problems because Boomers don’t understand technology.
Oh its much worse than that. There is this segment of rich tech bros who have emerged from an unregulated silicon valley. After decades of having their egos stroked there is a sort of tech fetish cult emerging. Thiel is the most prominent example of this but there are many others who are into this as well. They literally believe that AI will herald some sort of religious revelation. If you are opposed to AI or seek to regulate AI of course you are the antichrist. I wish I was making this up.
The only reason this matters is because these rich tech bro assholes haven’t ever had to pay taxes and the more money you have, the louder your voice is and the more you can pay to influence politics.
I think both are true.
Tech innovation is normally faster of the process of approving a new law and of course any law you write trying to regulate something in your state is not applicable everywhere else.
True, but that is not limited to AI
It’s definitely not just boomers who don’t understand technology. I’d wager there’s more Boomers who understand tech than there are Gen Z who understand tech.
I also actually think the story goes more like “if we regulate AI we can’t take kickbacks, use the unregulated AI market to enrich ourselves, or use the tech for our techno-facist nanny state big brother dreams”.
Because while the general red tape does take a little while, they aren’t even trying to regulate AI on a large scale. Smaller governments are making a tacit effort but by and large most of them see this as a way to enact mass surveillance policy.
Mmmm, the first part you mentioned was talked about in the article