Don’t let the mistakes of Social Media
become the Tragedy of AI
Social networks reshaped society in ways we’re still coming to terms with. A decade later, tech companies are using the same, destructive playbook with AI.
But this time, there’s something we can do about it.
For 25 years, I've watched transformative technologies follow the same pattern:
EXCITEMENT
PROMISE
REALITY
REGRET
1990s: File sharing could have revolutionised artist compensation. Instead, it became a battle between industry profits and piracy.
2000s: Mobile phones promised to free us from our desks. Instead, they tethered us to an endless stream of notifications.
2010s: Social media could have connected humanity. Instead, it was optimised for engagement at any cost.
2020s: AI could be humanity's greatest tool for progress. But right now, it's following a familiar script - one we finally understand well enough to change.
To be clear: Technology is not the problem.
Blaming a hammer for breaking a window is just as ridiculous as congratulating it for building a house.
Even AI - the first tool in history capable of building better tools - can’t be blamed for the inevitable challenges it presents (well not yet, anyway).
The problem comes from letting market incentives and engagement metrics shape a technology this powerful before we've even grasped its implications.
The Critical Moment
Right now, AI development is accelerating at a pace that makes social media's rise look glacial. The decisions being made in corporate boardrooms today will shape society for decades to come.
But here's what's different this time:
We already know how this movie ends.
We understand exactly what happens when billions of people agree to hand over their most sacred and personal information, in return for a '“free” email address.
We have a brief window of opportunity to change course – but that window is closing fast.