Roundup: Woz jokes about executing founders
Stay to the end for a good Writers Guild strike sign
There’s a lot to get annoyed with when it comes to the AI hype cycle, but this week was particularly bad with all the stories going around about the “godfather of AI” when what he had to say was so utterly lacking in substance in favor of pure fantasy. That’s why I felt compelled to write something about it.
But that aside, in this roundup I’m talking about a CNN interview with Steve Wozniak that piqued my interest — especially because of some comments he made about tech executives — and making some observations about Apple’s nascent pivot to India. Plus, I recommend some good reads and include some other labor and news updates you might have missed.
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Have a good week!
— Paris
Execute the founders?
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak was on CNN earlier this week to talk about AI — and made some pretty intriguing comments.
Woz was one of the people who signed the longtermist Future of Life Institute’s “AI Pause” letter in March, but in the interview he said his support for the specific arguments of the letter were overstated. He told the interviewers he isn’t living a life of fear over AI, but simply believes that when new technologies are introduced “we should be responsible” and “take steps to keep it from being too horrible and bad,” which includes education and regulation. (A far cry from the “godfather of AI.”)
But when they get into a deeper conversation about how technology has affected our lives, Woz was open about his frustrations on the direction technological development has gone. At one point, after reflecting on how things used to be better, he quipped, “Those that brought us this digital revolution should be executed or, worse yet, make them live in it.” It’s not the first time he’s been critical of the industry. Back in February, he was on CNBC throwing cold water on the singularity, questioning the idea of artificial “intelligence,” and calling out Elon Musk for being dishonest and a cult leader.
