The Promise of AI
The promise of AI is that it’ll make all of our lives easier. And with great convenience comes the potential for serious profit. The United Nations thinks AI could be a $4.8 trillion global market by 2033 – about as big as the German economy.
But forget about 2033: in the here and now, AI is already fueling transformation in industries as diverse as financial services, manufacturing, healthcare, marketing, agriculture, and e-commerce. Whether it’s autonomous algorithmic ‘agents’ managing your investment portfolio or AI diagnostics systems detecting diseases early, AI is fundamentally changing how we live and work.
But cynicism is snowballing around AI – we’ve seen Terminator 2 enough times to be extremely wary. The question worth asking, then, is how do we ensure trust as AI integrates deeper into our everyday lives?
Transparency: Opening the AI Black Box
For all their impressive capabilities, AI algorithms are often opaque, leaving users ignorant of how decisions are reached. Is that AI-powered loan request being denied because of your credit score – or due to an undisclosed company bias? Without transparency, AI can pursue its owner’s goals, or that of its owner, while the user remains unaware, still believing it’s doing their bidding.
One promising solution would be to put the processes on the blockchain, making algorithms verifiable and auditable by anyone. This is where Web3 tech comes in. We’re already seeing startups explore the possibilities. Space and Time (SxT), an outfit backed by Microsoft, offers tamper-proof data feeds consisting of a verifiable compute layer, so SxT can ensure that the information on which AI relies is real, accurate, and untainted by a single entity.
Proving AI Can Be Trusted
Trust isn’t a one-and-done deal; it’s earned over time, analogous to a restaurant maintaining standards to retain its Michelin star. AI systems must be assessed continually for performance and safety, especially in high-stakes domains like healthcare or autonomous driving. A second-rate AI prescribing the wrong medicines or hitting a pedestrian is more than a glitch, it’s a catastrophe.
This is the beauty of open-source models and on-chain verification via using immutable ledgers, with built-in privacy protections assured by the use of cryptography like Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs). Trust isn’t the only consideration, however: Users must know what AI can and can’t do, to set their expectations realistically. If a user believes AI is infallible, they’re more likely to trust flawed output.
Compliance and Accountability
As with cryptocurrency, the word compliance comes often when discussing AI. AI doesn’t get a pass under the law and various regulations. How should a faceless algorithm be held accountable? The answer may lie in the modular blockchain protocol Cartesi, which ensures AI inference happens on-chain.
Cartesi’s virtual machine lets developers run standard AI libraries – like TensorFlow, PyTorch, and Llama.cpp – in a decentralised execution environment, making it suitable for on-chain AI development. In other words, a blend of blockchain transparency and computational AI.
Trust Through Decentralisation
The UN’s recent Technology and Innovation Report shows that while AI promises prosperity and innovation, its development risks “deepening global divides.” Decentralisation could be the answer, one that helps AI scale and instils trust in what’s under the hood.
Conclusion
In conclusion, ensuring trust in AI is crucial for its widespread adoption. Transparency, compliance, and accountability are key components in building trust. Decentralisation can be a game-changer in this regard, allowing for on-chain verification and immutable ledgers. By combining these elements, we can create a trustworthy AI ecosystem that benefits humanity.
FAQs
What is the impact of AI on our lives?
AI is transforming industries and changing how we live and work. It has the potential to make our lives easier, but also raises concerns about job security, privacy, and accountability.
How can we ensure trust in AI?
Ensuring trust in AI requires transparency, compliance, and accountability. Decentralisation can be a key component in building trust, allowing for on-chain verification and immutable ledgers.
What is Web3 tech and how does it relate to AI?
Web3 tech is the next generation of the internet, built on blockchain and decentralisation. It has the potential to revolutionise AI by providing transparent, verifiable, and auditable processes.
What is Cartesi and how does it relate to AI?
Cartesi is a modular blockchain protocol that allows for on-chain AI development. It enables developers to run standard AI libraries in a decentralised execution environment, making it suitable for on-chain AI development.
