BT India@100 Summit: Microsoft Vice President Brad Smith talks about impact of AI on democracies across the world

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has brought a lot of questions in terms of ethical implications and job market. Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith talks about what are the impacts the emerging technology on democracy, jobs across the world.

Brad Smith stated, “Technology in some ways has made democracy more fragile in the last one decade. A decade ago, we all thought social media will bring democracy to the world and in 2016, we found that social media was being manipulated to spread falsehood in US Presidential elections.”

He emphasised that people creating AI services need to put guardrails in place to try as much as possible to prevent our technology to be used in ways that would undermine democracy further. He added, “We can embrace the opportunity to harness the power of AI to identify patterns and data in a such a way that they can identify foreign governments launching influence operations or intentionally deceive population. Weather it is cybersecurity or cyber influence, it is important to protect our society.”

He also spoke about the dual perspectives regarding copyrighted material, emphasising the importance of voluntary steps to respect creators' rights. He added that while AI's ability to rapidly assimilate information is advantageous, measures can be implemented to safeguard copyrighted content from unintentional breaches. Reflecting on the evolving landscape, he remarked, "A nuanced approach that respects both innovation and content creators' rights is essential for a harmonious coexistence."

Moving to the pivotal topic of AI's impact on jobs, Smith addressed concerns around job displacement due to automation. He expressed optimism about AI's potential to create new jobs and reshape existing roles. 

Drawing parallels to previous technological shifts, he asserted, "AI will likely be the most significant technological advance of our time. While certain roles might undergo transformation, history has shown that new opportunities emerge."

Also Read: 

Technology like India Today’s AI anchor Sana can impact several sectors, says Microsoft Vice Chair Brad Smith

Uber Group Rides in India: How to save up to 30% on your fare