AI Think Tank Assembles Economic Heavyweights to Shape the Future

Partnership on AI has decided to play puppet master with the future of our economy by launching the Labor and Economy Steering Committee. This group, composed of labor, civil society, and academic elites, will attempt to ensure our AI-driven future doesn’t end up looking like a scene from a dystopian novel. The group’s mission? To craft a set of recommendations that’ll guide policymakers and stakeholders toward economic prosperity. Or so they say.

The Usual Suspects

Rebecca Finlay, CEO of Partnership on AI, waxed poetic about the diverse perspectives of the committee members. Among them are Anton Korinek from the University of Virginia, Arturo Franco from the World Bank, and Dani Rodrik from Harvard. A veritable who’s who of economic thinkers. But will they truly shape a future where AI benefits everyone, or is this just another round of 'let’s see who can shout 'innovation' the loudest'?

Also on the list are representatives from Microsoft, the United Nations, and Google DeepMind, proving once again that AI, the giants like to keep their fingers in every pie they can find.

Actions Speak Louder

The committee’s blueprint will allegedly rise from the ashes of the Windfall Trust's AI and labor market scenario analysis. Michael George, Head of AI, Labor, and the Economy at Partnership on AI, wants us to believe this committee will separate the signal from the noise. But in a world where tech companies have repeatedly promised the moon and delivered a rock, I remain skeptical.

So, what's the big idea here? Are we expecting an economic utopia powered by AI or just another smokescreen for maintaining the status quo? With industry powerhouses at the table, it’s hard not to wonder whose interests will ultimately be served.

A Checkered Past

Let's not forget PAI's history of involvement in AI-related economic discussions. Their 2022 international study and 2023 AI job impact assessment were noteworthy, but did they really move the needle? Spare me the roadmap rhetoric. True progress demands more than annual reports and press releases. It requires accountability.

Supported by the Heising-Simons Foundation, this new initiative might just be the latest chapter in a long book of well-intentioned but ultimately ineffective strategies. But who knows? Perhaps this time, they’ll prove the cynics wrong. Perhaps they’ll indeed shape a future where AI elevates rather than disrupts economies.