Who's in charge here?
The latest stories about how AI is affecting the economy, business and governance.
Dear reader,
Welcome to BN Edition: concise analysis on the stories that offer us hints at our unfolding future. Fresh from the desks of the Brilliant Noise team.
Each edition takes a handful of stories from recent weeks and asks three things:
What? The story in a few sentences.
So what? Why do I need to know?
What next? What do I need to do or watch out for?
This week, find out about:
ChatGPT 4o roll-out a win; Google search AI a fail
Running governments in the age of AI
The most AI-able jobs
The AI screen takeover
What?
This week, both Google and ChatGPT tried to take over our screens.
ChatGPT made their desktop app available and Google (shakily) launched its AI Overview feature for search users in the US.
Google's new AI Overview product is generating bizarre responses, from suggesting users put glue on their pizza to advising them to eat rocks. Meanwhile, the ChatGPT desktop app can view your screen and you can ask it questions as if you were talking to a friendly colleague leaning over your shoulder.
So what?
Google's chaotic rollout erodes its reputation further, after two previous problematic AI product launches and search engine results getting more spammy in recent years.
Google's struggle highlights a broader issue in AI development: reliability. An institution as historically reliable as Google is finding out that Generative AI isn't meshing well with existing pre-AI tools.
It also raises the question of how Google's massive search advertising model (a money machine for two decades) may never fully integrate with Generative AI technologies, at least not in their current lucrative form.
OpenAI’s new ChatGPT 4o and desktop app have been erratic, but as a startup its innovations’ inconsistent performances are more easily forgiven by users. Google doesn’t have that luxury.
Constrained by their business model they have to make a way for advertising money to fit in with the accuracy and impartiality people want from their search answer engine.
What next?
Be cautious of relying on any one provider for your Generative AI needs. At this stage, it’s still anyone’s game. Even the old faithfuls of the last tech revolution aren’t adapting fast enough.
We’re entering a period of struggle for dominance and power between tech companies.
It reminds us of this data visualisation video showing how the biggest tech companies changed in size over a 23 year period. It’s interesting to remember how Microsoft and Intel once dominated before being completely eclipsed by Apple and Google.
We could see an upending of what and who controls our data. Maybe we’ll even get a say in it if we get involved soon enough.
Governing in the Age of AI
What?
Last week The Tony Blair Institute, a think tank, published an influential report about how Generative AI can be used by governments, including a useful collection of use cases.
The report "Governing in the Age of AI: A New Model to Transform the State" emphasises the potential of AI to transform government operations, improve services, and drive long-term prosperity.
It also provides a typology of AI technologies and highlights the importance of addressing ethical and practical challenges in AI implementation.
Source: The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change
So what?
The organisation is generally interested in increased interconnectedness among countries most notably in the areas of economics, politics, and culture.
They advise political leaders and governments on policy challenges and developing practical solutions in service of making globalisation work better, so it’s interesting to see their vision for how AI can positively impact society and governance.
What next?
Here’re the highlights:
AI's Impact on Society: The report discusses how artificial intelligence (AI) can significantly improve how governments work and provide services to people. This is of interest to anyone who uses public services or is affected by government policy, which is to say, everyone.
Improvements in Public Services: It suggests that AI can make government services better, faster, and cheaper. For example, AI could help doctors in hospitals by analysing patient data and suggesting treatments, or assist teachers by creating personalised lesson plans for students.
Cost Savings: The report proposes that by using AI, the government can save a lot of money and improve the quality of public services. It estimates that up to £40 billion can be saved each year with the technology as it exists now, which could have a direct impact on taxpayers.
UK's Leadership in AI: The report also discusses the potential for the UK to become a leader in AI and set an example for other countries. This could be of interest to those who are invested in the UK's position on the global stage, particularly in areas of technology and innovation.
Addressing Challenges: Finally, the report is honest about the challenges that come with implementing AI in government. It talks about the need for data interoperability, the importance of addressing ethical concerns, and the necessity of building or procuring the right AI tools and skills. This could be of interest to those who are concerned about the risks of AI and want to see that they are being taken seriously and addressed in a thoughtful way.
Jobs that overlap with Gen AI the most
What?
The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania’s latest research identifies which highly-educated, well-paid white-collar jobs will have the most overlap with things generative AI can do well.
The study also examines demographic differences in exposure to AI advancements. Its findings suggest governments will need to have a role in helping people adapt to the changes generative AI will bring to work.
Source: The Wharton School
So what?
The researchers examined which occupations would be most exposed to generative AI advancements.
It involved equating certain generative AI uses like understanding language and imagery to different human abilities, such as oral comprehension and inductive reasoning. They linked these to over 800 occupations to determine which jobs will be most and least affected by AI systems.
This is a list of the top 40 occupations exposed to generative AI.
We’ve bolded the occupations that are probably of most interest to our readers:
Interior Designers
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval
Chemical Engineers
Art Directors
Astronomers
Mechanical Drafters
Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers
Civil Engineers
Commercial and Industrial Designers
Film and Video Editors
Graphic Designers
Mathematicians
Social Scientists and Related Workers
Architectural and Civil Drafters
Air Traffic Controllers
Environmental Engineers
Construction Managers
Multimedia Artists and Animators
Desktop Publishers
Statistical Assistants
Physicists
Landscape Architects
Software Developers
Web Developers
Database Administrators
Aerospace Engineers
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists
Civil Engineering Technicians
Computer Programmers
Epidemiologists
Biomedical Engineers
Urban and Regional Planners
Actuaries
Computer and Information Research Scientists
Mechanical Engineers
Advertising and Promotions Managers
Marketing Managers
Information Security Analysts
Computer Occupations
Materials Scientists
What next?
AI is unstoppable. But it is shapeable.
While people often think of AI replacing jobs, it is better to think about it taking over tasks, meaning jobs will change, not just disappear.
For many occupations, overlap and the consequent transformation may be necessary.
In his newsletter this week, Professor Ethan Mollick (a Wharton School professor and AI expert) pointed out that before the rapid adoption of AI, the pace of innovation appeared to be slowing rapidly and according to one research paper:
“the speed of innovation appears to be dropping by 50% every 13 years”
If AI turns out to be a ‘General Purpose Technology’ – one that will transform our culture, economy, and society – we must urgently understand its implications, guide its development, mitigate risks, and ensure everyone benefits.
As the Tony Blair Institute report pointed out, it will require a multidisciplinary effort, bringing together employers, academic policy experts and governments.
We must act swiftly to grasp its implications, steer its progress, mitigate its risks, and ensure the benefits are widely shared.
Thank you for reading.
The Brilliant Noise team