In the United States, there is a conflict between states and President Trump over the regulation of AI (artificial intelligence). Last Thursday, President Trump signed an executive order suspending all laws restricting artificial intelligence and preventing states from regulating AI technology. This is seen as a major victory for technology companies, which have campaigned against any restrictions on the development or use of AI.
But what does this mean for the average person?
Too often, whether by accident or design, our media tends to focus discussions about AI on far-fetched scenarios that no sane person would believe. We've seen journalists talk about scenarios where AI decides to take over the world, creating apocalyptic situations and situations where our lives are controlled by computers. I think the real risks are more mundane.
face recognition
Merseyside Police announced on Twitter that it will begin using live facial recognition screening from cameras in some vehicles from Monday 15th.th And they reassured us that they will follow detailed rules to ensure the privacy of the public. Naturally, this has led some to question the growing power of government, but aren't we overlooking something much closer to home and important?
Most AI risks come from private companies, not from government use of AI.
Just a week ago, a Dutch journalist conducted a study using technology that anyone can buy (Meta's AI glasses and an application called PimEyes) that allowed him to walk around the streets of Amsterdam, greet strangers by name, and tell them about the information the glasses provided from his online presence.
The point is, anyone with money – you and me, the local criminal, that guy looking at you weirdly across the bar – can legally buy access to this technology and use it to track you and your children using your online profiles. But most of the focus is on restricting the use of such technology by police, rather than its unsupervised use by the general public.
different prices for different people
Can companies use your online data to overcharge you? The short answer is yes. It's a technique called personalized pricing. dynamic pricing or Monitoring pricing.
Almost 20 years ago, I introduced an exercise to my 8th grade ICT class by having them experiment with buying a flight ticket to Malaga online. They all tended to use EasyJet, but as they repeated the exercise, they noticed something strange. Students in the same classroom may be quoted different prices for the exact same flight.And they came to the conclusion that by trying to gain access to certain flights, many people are influencing the airline's software and raising prices.
At the time, this was novel and limited in scope, but it is now commonplace, known as dynamic or surge pricing, and there are laws regulating it, but not outlawing it. (e.g. Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act 2024)
But in the U.S., AI is enabling businesses to go even further. A remarkable study by More Perfect Union reveals the AI-powered technology used in America's largest stores. Divide the masses into different price ranges and set different prices for different price ranges By online grocery store. Their video begins with a quote from former Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan: “For a long time, the Holy Grail has been: What if we could charge everyone the maximum amount we knew they could or would be willing to pay?””
The video goes on to explain how the online shopping we all use today is subject to surveillance pricing, where customers are charged 15% more than other customers for the exact same item based on their online activity, including their online spending history.
Monitored pricing is expected to drive up prices.
Corporations are not our friends
Capitalism and business are part of life and are not our enemies, but they are not our friends either. (In a sense, large corporations view their customers and employees in the same way that farmers view the bulls they end up selling for profit, and we know where they end up.) The purpose of business is to make as much profit as possible, and the danger of unregulated technology is that it shifts the balance of power away from individuals and in favor of corporations.
Big tech companies are campaigning against any restrictions on AI because it helps them increase profits. This is good for businesses and bad for businesses. Their system monitors you, learns your patterns, and uses that to bill everyone accordingly.
AI will not destroy humanity or the world, but for some of us, it will take our jobs, make us poorer, and increase the price of food. It is necessary to regulate it.
Arnold is a retired teacher from Lisburn who now lives in Belfast.
Check out more of Slugger O'Toole's work
Subscribe to receive the latest posts by email.
