An egalitarian AI future requires everyone to TALK more clearly

I am on a personal maternal journey to understand what the future of AI (digital/human intelligence) will mean for my daughters. On my mission I am reading and listening to people in many professions, disciplines, and faiths.

As will most of the important issues facing society today, the challenge of optimising AI for human good, is bringing human collective understanding into some sort of shape and order, to be able to agree: what is real, what we can trust, how to respond, and most importantly how to alleviate suffering through human unity.

The main message of this post is that an egalitarian AI future, based on equality, diversity and inclusion, requires everyone to talk more clearly. Not to abandon the use of complex or technical language but to be able to translate ideas and understanding (with the help of others) and communicate across nations, disciplines and epistemes.

This is because, to align advances in AI towards goals that are for the good of all humans (egalitarian) rather than a few humans, people need to convey their ideas in plain English, or another globally common language that is accessible to many other people and can be translated.

People expect, and are working towards, digital technologies that talk to each other and enable useful exchanges of data (interoperability). Meanwhile humans use exclusive codes, languages, and syntax (ways to structure language) to talk in small expert groups.

On my journey of understanding I am feeling let down by ideas that are inaccessible to 'outsiders'. That said, I have met some brilliant translators, philosophers, technologists, teachers, clinicians, and scientists who are willing and able to speak to me, as an expert of my own experience.

Imagine for a moment, someone had a gift for you. The gift is an idea, that they thought might help you as a person, or your family, or the world. Because of pride they wrap the idea up in fancy wrapping paper and tie it up with tape and string and a big cardboard box full of packaging. If you do receive the parcel, it is difficult to open it, the idea inside is damaged and comes without instructions. You are dismayed about what this gift is. You send it to the dump or to a charity shop where someone else might be able to use it.

I am not saying that rich description, creative discourse (strands of thinking) and vibrant terminology have no value for generating and justifying ideas. Indeed, some people believe that it is our ability to create languages that will secure our future in a human/digital world.

What I am saying is that the way ideas are presented should not devalue them or separate people.

Experts in particular, are letting themselves down by failing to communicate in accessible language, not just to the public but to other experts. It slows communication, hinders collective learning, and fails to inform decisions and actions that could help humans thrive. For example, better communication could help to develop expediate laws and policies for AI that align with what people need and value from society. It is a shame.

Of course, I understand that people need to earn money and recognition, and they do not want to share their ideas without some reward. There are livelihoods at stake, but poor communication costs lives and unacceptable numbers of people in the world continue to suffer.

Speaking and writing clearly is important for the future of humanity. Children are often taught to speak so that everyone can hear. This is not just about polite conversation it is so that other people might learn what concerns the child and offer their perspective. Inclusion has benefits.

I accept that it is not always easy to communicate difficult ideas. Accessibility is in the gift of the expert. They are the person who can be more ‘user friendly’ or to find out what impact it had. They may find they get a nice gift in return.

Experts, it would be nice and moral, if you could learn to explain your ideas. Clarify special words or abbreviations you like to use or have invented. Explain why your idea is important.

Use plain English summaries, post them in public accessible spaces, in different languages if you can.

Someday your life may depend on someone else understanding your idea if they can be bothered to unwrap it.

Please let me know what we can do to support inclusion in AI.