MAICON to Mainstream: Oprah Grills Sam Altman on AI’s Future

Yesterday was a whirlwind of a day in AI! It started with an amazing panel at #MAICON2024 moderated by Paul Roetzer, where Adam Brotman (former Chief Digital Officer at Starbucks) and Andy Sack (former advisor to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella) shared insights from their book “AI First: The Playbook for a Future-Proof Business and Brand”

These tech veterans interviewed AI leaders like Sam Altman, Bill Gates, Reid Hoffman, and Mustafa Suleyman, giving us a glimpse into the future of AI. Then, on my flight back to Denver, I watched Oprah’s “AI and the Future of Us” special featuring Sam, Bill, and more.

As if that wasn’t enough, OpenAI launched yesterday their new o1 series of “reasoning” models, yet another leap in AI. (+ Apple iPhone AI feature announcements earlier this week)

Talk about bookends – and milestones! In just one year, the contrast is striking:

Adam and Andy described their interviews as “Oh $hit moments” from last year:

• Sam Altman focusing on AGI, predicting 95% of marketing tasks handled by AI
• Bill Gates being impressed when ChatGPT passed a biology AP exam (here’s a video clip: https://lnkd.in/gWQxW3V3)
• Reid Hoffman envisioning AI co-pilots for every human
• Mustafa Suleyman warning about the rise of virtual influencers

Now, AI is going mainstream, and Oprah didn’t pull any punches. She challenged Sam Altman with pointed questions:

• “The industry is dominated by a lot of people who look like you, male and white, and very few who look like me. Are there any thoughts on how to address that?”
• “If you were in charge of regulations, what kinds of regulations should be put in place?”
• “Your own board said ‘we don’t trust you’ and you got yourself another board. How do we know we can trust you?”
• “I saw a headline that you were the most powerful and dangerous man on the planet. And I’m wondering how that sits with you?”

While a 1-hour TV special can’t cover everything, it sparks curiosity and invites diverse voices to the table. It almost doesn’t matter what the responses were – what matters is that now, people from all walks of life are part of this crucial conversation.

Oprah’s closing words stuck with me:

AI is still beyond our control and understanding, but it is here. We’re going to live with a tech that can be our ally as well as our rival. It is something that no other generation has ever experienced

This moment requires a different level of alertness, awareness about who we are and where we’re going. What’s AI and what’s human wisdom, authentic intelligence earned through study and experience

We are this planet’s most adaptable creatures. We will adapt again. But keep your eyes on what’s real. The stakes for all of us could not be higher.

Our AI understanding and voices matter in steering AI towards a future that benefits all. Your thoughts?

More to come on insights and learnings from MAICON!

#AI #FutureOfWork #ResponsibleAI #Humanity