AI boss Sam Altman made headlines this week after suggesting society should be willing to accept short-term negative impacts in order to realise the long-term benefits of artificial intelligence. But do you agree?
It is the kind of claim students on the University of Chichester’s new BA (Hons) Liberal Arts degree will be encouraged to investigate.
Dr Tommy Lynch, Reader in Political Theology and academic lead for the course, said: “When OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says that we should be willing to ‘accept bad things’ in the near term to unlock AI, the question we should be asking is: who are ‘we’?
“The negative consequences of those ‘bad things’ won’t be shared equally across society, and nor will the benefits of AI.
“It’s important to remember that warnings about the dangers of AI made by AI companies can also be a form of marketing. We are told these technologies could transform our lives, threaten human existence, or both.
“The problem is that these claims are being made while companies seek further public and private investment. That makes it difficult to distinguish genuine assessment from hype.”
AI and its impact is just one of the subjects that are part of the new Liberal Arts degree, which also explores topics including truth and disinformation in the age of social media, climate change, religion and how ideas about the future shape our lives today.
Students will examine how technologies influence society, how public debates are shaped and how people can respond critically to complex global challenges.
Dr Lynch continued: “Most people probably don’t spend much time thinking about AI. It’s something you either use or you don’t. But if you’re interested in whether it is really going to change the world, it can be difficult to know what to think.
“By understanding the background to these debates, students will be better able to evaluate competing claims, learn from previous technology booms, and think critically about the role AI should play in society.”
The degree draws together perspectives from across the humanities and social sciences, helping students engage with issues that cut across politics, technology, culture and ethics.
“If we focus only on preparing students for today’s job market and today’s social issues, we risk leaving them unprepared for a rapidly changing future,” Dr Lynch said. “This course will ensure students leave feeling confident to engage with difficult questions, wherever they encounter them.”
For more information about the course, go to www.chi.ac.uk/sociology-liberal-arts/course/ba-hons-liberal-arts.