People of tomorrow! Here are some of the real-world, no-nonsense, leave-the-hype-at-home insights from yesterday’s round table on AI and Automation at the Impact Circle day of Love Tomorrow:
• The cost of experimentation has gone down dramatically thanks to AI-assisted prototyping.
• Don’t neglect the power of “traditional AI”. Not every problem needs an LLM hammer. Remember that the good old-fashioned AI approaches are fast, reliable, cheap and energy efficient. None of these characteristics apply to LLMs.
• AI energy usage and sustainability is a real concern for Europe (see Europe’s AI Factories).
• Managing expectations around AI accuracy is key. There will be mistakes, and ultimate responsibility remains with us humans! (but are we all falling for the ease-of-use?)
• “Move fast and break things” is not a viable approach when applying AI in mental health contexts. Guardrails are essential, and the ones built into the foundation models are not sufficient.
Thank you Harry Haeck and Leen Anthuenis for the opportunity to moderate this round table with such an interesting group of experienced and passionate people.
final question that was raised: do we want our AI companions to have a personality? And if so, which one? That one I’ll ponder today at Love Tomorrow on the site of Tomorrowland. Maybe the DJ set tonight will bring the answer…
