- Oprah's upcoming venture into AI industry sparks outrage
- Big names and big aim
- Questionable guests and approaches: what makes Oprah the best one for the job?
Oprah's upcoming venture into AI industry sparks outrage
New technology experts and critics have been talking about the venture that Oprah Winfrey is planning for a while now. AI technology is becoming more and more popular, so many people from different industries try to jump on the bandwagon. That is especially common in the entertainment industry.
The more recent person who tried to get something for them from this popularized technology theme is the entrepreneur, billionaire, TV personality, and philanthropist who goes just by her name, Oprah. It also involves television and broadcasting and ABC[1].
Last week, ABC announced a new TV special called "AI and the Future of Us: An Oprah Winfrey Special," which will air on September 12. This one-hour program will examine how AI affects our everyday lives and feature interviews with tech leaders like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Bill Gates[2].
Shortly after the announcement, some AI critics raised concerns about the guest lineup and the show's overall direction. Author Brian Merchant, known for his criticism of generative AI, tweeted, "Nice of Oprah to host this long sales pitch for the AI industry at a time when it's struggling, and the bubble is about to burst." Artist Karla Ortiz, who is part of a lawsuit against several AI companies, responded with, "The so-called experts are not even experts 💀 what a disaster."
Big names and big aim
Many people are concerned about artificial intelligence. These concerns involve regulations, security, and other issues like privacy or usefulness. The plan to use this technology and merge with something completely different is quite challenging.
Also, attracting people who are not only fans of Oprah or this technology could be a task. This is where particular guests come in. ABC announced that their upcoming special will feature "some of the most important and powerful people in AI," which seems to mean well-known tech figures[3].
Bill Gates, Microsoft’s co-founder who stepped down as CEO 24 years ago, will be on the show to discuss the "AI revolution" and how it could change science, health, and education. He will also warn about AI's "once-in-a-century" impact on jobs.
Popular YouTuber Marques Brownlee will also be on the show, demonstrating AI’s capabilities for Oprah. However, Brownlee’s involvement got some backlash. PR consultant Ed Zitron, a frequent critic of generative AI, tweeted, "Marques Brownlee should be ashamed of himself. What a disgraceful thing to be part of."
Other guests include Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin from the Center for Humane Technology, who will talk about the risks of superintelligent AI. FBI Director Christopher Wray will discuss how criminals and foreign nations are using AI, while author Marilynne Robinson will share thoughts on AI’s threat to human values.
Questionable guests and approaches: what makes Oprah the best one for the job?
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, will explain "how AI works in simple terms" and discuss the "huge personal responsibility" AI executives must take. Artist Karla Ortiz criticized Altman in her viral thread, saying there are more qualified people to talk about generative AI models than CEOs. She even pointed out that Altman once said AI would "solve all physics," calling that a ridiculous claim.
K. Ortiz also posted a detailed thread expressing her concerns that the program might mislead the public. "This could be the first time many people hear about generative AI, but it looks like it’s going to be a misinformed marketing stunt by people with vested interests, some of whom are already facing legal challenges," she wrote[4].
Critics like Ortiz are worried about AI's usefulness, the environmental damage they believe it causes, and the copyright issues associated with its development. Companies like Meta, Anthropic, and OpenAI often use copyrighted material to train their AI models without getting permission from the owners. OpenAI defends this practice, saying it's "fair use."
Some people, like TV producer Theo Priestley, expressed disappointment in the guest lineup, noting a lack of voices who are less critical of AI. Dr. Margaret Mitchell from Hugging Face suggested that a follow-up discussion might be helpful to bring more balance and dive deeper into the topic.
There are many questions of Oprah and her knowledge on the technology. She might not be the best person to interview or run a discussion on this. Oprah’s special will air on September 12 on ABC and will likely spark more reactions from critics once it airs. As Oprah said in a preview, "It may fascinate you or scare you. Or, if you're like me, it may do both. Let’s take a breath and learn more about it."
