Oprah's Upcoming AI Television Special Sparks Outrage Among Tech Critics 34
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: On Thursday, ABC announced an upcoming TV special titled, "AI and the Future of Us: An Oprah Winfrey Special." The one-hour show, set to air on September 12, aims to explore AI's impact on daily life and will feature interviews with figures in the tech industry, like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Bill Gates. Soon after the announcement, some AI critics began questioning the guest list and the framing of the show in general. [...] Critics of generative AI ... question the utility of the technology, its perceived environmental impact, and what they see as blatant copyright infringement.
"Sure is nice of Oprah to host this extended sales pitch for the generative AI industry at a moment when its fortunes are flagging and the AI bubble is threatening to burst," tweeted author Brian Merchant, who frequently criticizes generative AI technology in op-eds, social media, and through his "Blood in the Machine" AI newsletter. "The way the experts who are not experts are presented as such what a train wreck," replied artist Karla Ortiz, who is a plaintiff in a lawsuit against several AI companies. "There's still PLENTY of time to get actual experts and have a better discussion on this because yikes." On Friday, Ortiz created a lengthy viral thread on X that detailed her potential issues with the program, writing, "This event will be the first time many people will get info on Generative AI. However it is shaping up to be a misinformed marketing event starring vested interests (some who are under a litany of lawsuits) who ignore the harms GenAi inflicts on communities NOW." The AI TV special will feature "some of the most important and powerful people in AI," said ABC. They include Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, YouTube creator Marques Brownlee, Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin from the Center for Humane Technology, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and author Marilynne Robinson.
The show will air on September 12 on ABC (and a day later on Hulu) in the U.S.
"Sure is nice of Oprah to host this extended sales pitch for the generative AI industry at a moment when its fortunes are flagging and the AI bubble is threatening to burst," tweeted author Brian Merchant, who frequently criticizes generative AI technology in op-eds, social media, and through his "Blood in the Machine" AI newsletter. "The way the experts who are not experts are presented as such what a train wreck," replied artist Karla Ortiz, who is a plaintiff in a lawsuit against several AI companies. "There's still PLENTY of time to get actual experts and have a better discussion on this because yikes." On Friday, Ortiz created a lengthy viral thread on X that detailed her potential issues with the program, writing, "This event will be the first time many people will get info on Generative AI. However it is shaping up to be a misinformed marketing event starring vested interests (some who are under a litany of lawsuits) who ignore the harms GenAi inflicts on communities NOW." The AI TV special will feature "some of the most important and powerful people in AI," said ABC. They include Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, YouTube creator Marques Brownlee, Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin from the Center for Humane Technology, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and author Marilynne Robinson.
The show will air on September 12 on ABC (and a day later on Hulu) in the U.S.
Lol (Score:3)
Special reveal at the end (Score:2)
The entire episode will have been handled by Oprah-AI!
Re:Special reveal at the end (Score:4, Funny)
Look under your seat, it's a pink slip because your job has been replaced with AI. Everybody look under your seats, you've all got pink slips!
Re: (Score:2)
yayyyyy
Oprah (Score:4, Insightful)
Oh yes she gave us Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz. Can’t wait to see what’s next!
Re: Oprah (Score:2)
She heavily promoted Obama too.
Re: (Score:2)
Personally, I'm enjoying it (Score:2)
I work in the HVAC field, so I'm not being replaced by a LLM anytime soon. I have however, been having a blast using ChatGPT to write songs (with a little editing on my part, since sometimes it does come up with some bizarre lyrics) and then have Suno sing them. It's like getting to experience some alternate reality where I'd gone into a creative field.
It's a TV show? (Score:2)
Re:The plaintiff artist has an idea... (Score:4, Insightful)
Who does Karla Ortiz recommend as an expert?
Expert (modern definition): A person who sounds smart while saying the things I want to hear.
Re: (Score:2)
Ex : Has been or used to be
spurt : Drip under pressure
Re: (Score:2)
Who does Karla Ortiz recommend as an expert? Andrew Ng? Any of the Transformer Model original authors? Any of the companies releasing open source models? No, of the 4 of the people she links (@timnitGebru @alexhanna @emilymbender @ravenben) one seems to be involved in ML as a professor, and the others seem to be AI ethicist malcontents, generally critical of the industry, and eager for the bubble to pop.
As opposed to noted high school graduate Sam Altman (who I'm sure is completely fair and impartial and is in no way incentivized to keep the bubble bubbling)? If you're including a bunch of people who are openly pro-AI then also including a few "generally critical malcontents" to give the opposing viewpoint might not be the worst thing in the world.
Oprah is evil (Score:2, Troll)
One of many American celebrities who is a complete sociopath - happy to sell you any nonsense no matter how much damage it does so long as it makes her more money.
In a just world, she'd be on the gallows with 'Dr' Phil, Joe Rogan, and Gywneth Paltrow.
Re: (Score:3)
happy to sell you any nonsense no matter how much damage it does so long as it makes her more money.
So, you're saying she's just like every other successful capitalist?
Re: (Score:3)
Not all, but a lot of them. Greed's a nasty thing, and people will do horrible things to each other once they become slaves to it.
I'm ok with making money. It's when you start hurting people to do it I have an issue.
Well ... (Score:2)
There are many things Oprah knows nothing about (Score:2, Troll)
She is an expert of long standing, however, at selling snake oil.
So far as I'm concerned, based on her history, that she's having the "AI is wonderful" people on as experts is conclusive proof, beyond any possible doubt, that it's all snake oil. She doesn't peddle anything else.
Re: (Score:2)
I do not wish to even think about Oprah porn, AI generated or otherwise.
I can't afford enough brain bleach.
The blind leading the blind (Score:4, Insightful)
So it makes perfect sense to have someone like Oprah Winfrey get on TV to 'sell' AI to the general public; her fans are probably the least technologically-savvy people on the planet to begin with, and Winfrey has what amounts to a cult following, right? So they'll eat it all up, with a spoon, so they don't miss a single drop of any of it, and they'll go out and sell their souls to the AI ghods because Oprah told them they should!
You get an AI! (Score:2)
A business woman (Score:4, Informative)
Why is anyone surprised that she's cashing in on the GenAI hype bubble? Remember when she cashed in on the manufactured controversies over a British royal marrying a mere mortal? Everyone who's interested in money wants in on the GenAI hype bandwagon cash cow while it lasts!
If anyone wants to name their band, "GenAI hype bandwagon cash cow." they're welcome to it.
Maybe someone will ask Why ? (Score:2)
come on, this Opprah were talking about (Score:1)
Rabid AI/LLM opponents (Score:2)
...say something dumb
News at never
No actual tech-talk about it, that would make the rubes, er, I mean consumers eyes glaze over, since they wouldn't understand it anyway
Zero truth in this claim. Are you sure by "following" you don't mean "decided at the outset and am determined to avoid being informed" ?
Curious as to what would meet your stringent demands for technical detail on this?
That's a quick pivot (Score:1)
2024: WHAT?! We can save money, fire people, and control people faster? Spin up the GPUs, boys. Screw the environment! Hey Siri, it is legal to buy a nuclear power plant? Get the propaganda people on this! GO GO GO!
morons (Score:2)
Always encouraging to see the morons providing instruction for idiots.
This is great... (Score:2)
...because I rely on Oprah for all my tech news.
It's So 2020s (Score:2)
Pay to play (Score:2)
If you have the money you can get on Oprah