Anxiety, more than technological rigor, is at the heart of The AI Doc Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist. Director Daniel Roher expresses a deep concern for the future into which he is bringing a child, wondering if it will be an AI-driven utopia or mark an inevitable doom, a scenario explored in countless science fiction stories.
A Journey Between AI Proponents and Critics
In search of answers, Roher interviewed some of the most prominent AI supporters and critics, including Karen Hao, author of "The Empire of AI," researcher Emily Bender, and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei. Although the documentary, released this weekend, does not offer completely new revelations – for an in-depth analysis, reading Hao's book, which documents the rise of OpenAI and the precariousness of its business model, is recommended – its primary aim is not industry insiders.
Roher rather aims to make the current state of AI understandable for the general public. These are people who might occasionally use tools like ChatGPT or Google Gemini, but are not fully aware of the controversies surrounding them. The film, in particular, highlights the almost religious devotion that many in the tech industry have towards AI.
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Apocaloptimism As a Vision for the Future
It is not a spoiler to say that Roher ultimately adopts an "apocaloptimist" perspective. He is fully aware of AI's potential dangers and its likely significant social impact. However, he firmly believes in humanity's ability to shape the direction in which this technology is moving. AI proponents profess an almost fideistic faith in the inevitability of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), i.e., an AI capable of matching and surpassing human abilities. But AGI is not a foregone conclusion, and Roher argues that there is still room for critics and the public to exert counter-pressure.
We are already seeing small signs of resistance to AI. Consider the visceral and negative reaction to NVIDIA's AI DLSS 5 upscaling, Microsoft's recent plans to scale back Copilot's AI features in Windows 11, or OpenAI's shutdown of the Sora AI video generation app (the latter might be due to prohibitive costs, but Sora certainly drew much criticism). If enough people say "no" to various AI implementations, tech companies are likely to take note.
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The Two Sides of the Coin in Technological Innovation
The documentary alternates interviews with true "believers" – such as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei – with prominent figures among AI critics, including Tristan Harris, co-founder and president of the Center for Humane Technology, and linguistics professor Emily M. Bender. One can feel a sort of "whiplash" when the film shifts from those who sincerely believe AI will lead to a kind of utopia (and who will become immensely wealthy in the process) to the more extreme critics who see it as the end of humanity. At one point, Harris mentions that some of his friends working in AI risk assessment believe their children "won't see high school." That feeling of anxiety emerges once again.
Although "The AI Doc" manages to pack an impressive number of notable interviews into its 1 hour and 43-minute runtime, it would have been desirable to hear more from critics like Timnit Gebru, a former Google AI researcher, who links AI development to the rise of "technofascism" in Silicon Valley. Although she appears briefly in the film, her perspective is not fully developed. The documentary does not delve deeply into the driving forces behind AI, unlike "Ghost in the Machine," another major AI documentary this year, which draws a direct line between the rise of eugenics and Silicon Valley. The latter film will be in theaters this summer and air on PBS in the fall.
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It is an energetic documentary, rich in animations, aiming to keep the viewer constantly engaged. However, the threat of AI deserves a more nuanced analysis and deeper critical examination. At worst, "The AI Doc" might lead more people to question the value of AI, just as the tech industry becomes increasingly desperate to ensure its success. It is interesting to note how even prominent figures like David Sacks are reconsidering their role in the AI landscape, suggesting an ongoing and evolving debate.
Our publication thinks that...
Roher's documentary, while not revolutionizing the artificial intelligence debate, plays a crucial role in democratizing the conversation. Its strength lies in making complex concepts and widespread anxieties accessible to a broad audience, who might otherwise feel excluded from more technical discussions. The "apocaloptimist" approach is particularly effective because it acknowledges the legitimacy of fears without succumbing to catastrophism for its own sake. It encourages active and conscious participation, suggesting that the future of AI is not a predetermined fate, but a path we can still collectively influence. The critique of the "almost religious devotion" is especially apt, as it highlights the risk of blind faith in innovation without adequate assessment of ethical and social implications. It is crucial that the public is informed and encouraged to ask questions, just as suggested by recent discussions on the impact of platforms like Meta and YouTube, declared negligent in a landmark social media use case. The ability to resist problematic AI implementations, as shown by reactions to certain NVIDIA technologies or Microsoft's decisions, is an encouraging signal that the collective voice can still carry weight.
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