A Better Tomorrow: Science and Technology's Essential Purpose Featuring Arati Prabhakar
11:30 am - 12:30pm on December 4th: Riggs | Orem Hall, University of Maryland
This event was a Presidential Distinguished forum open to all students and faculty of the University of Maryland. The spotlight speaker was Arati Prabhakar, who holds the position of President Biden's Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Since assuming her role in 2022, Prabhakar has provided counsel to President Joe Biden regarding the implications of advancements in cybersecurity, quantum science, and various other high-tech domains on the United States and its relationships with both allies and adversaries. As an engineer and applied physicist with extensive management and leadership expertise, Prabhakar has headed two distinct federal research and development agencies and collaborated with startups, major corporations, academic institutions, government laboratories, and nonprofit organizations across diverse sectors to forge innovative solutions to pressing challenges. She served as the director of DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, from 2012 to 2017. In 1993, she was appointed by the U.S. Senate as the director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), becoming the agency's first female leader. Between these federal leadership positions, Prabhakar dedicated 15 years to Silicon Valley as a corporate executive and venture capitalist. In 2019, she established Actuate, a nonprofit aimed at cultivating new methods of innovation to address society's critical challenges. During this discussion, Prabhakar explored topics relating to climate, health, and the AI revolution.
I found all of Prabhakar's discussion points to be especially intriguing, particularly those centered on artificial intelligence. She suggested that AI might one day be utilized to discriminate against mortgage applicants, monitor computer users, and create deep fakes to alter perceptions on a grand scale. Conversely, it could act as "a solid foundation we can utilize to aim for the stars." The current discourse surrounding AI is characterized by a mixture of enthusiasm and apprehension, as society navigates both its possibilities and its hazards. On the affirmative side, AI is transforming sectors like healthcare, finance, and education by enhancing productivity, refining data interpretation, and offering individualized experiences. For instance, in healthcare, machine learning algorithms can assist physicians in diagnosing ailments more accurately and swiftly, often catching patterns that the human eye might overlook. AI also plays a vital role in automating monotonous tasks, amplifying efficiency across various industries, and aiding researchers in examining extensive datasets that would be unfeasible for humans to analyze within a reasonable timeframe. In the realm of education, AI-driven tools facilitate personalized learning, adjusting to the specific requirements of each student and providing customized recommendations for enhancement.
However, the negative aspects of AI are considerable and must not be overlooked. A significant concern is job displacement since automation continues to endanger positions traditionally undertaken by people. From manufacturing roles to customer support jobs, AI is capable of executing tasks with rapidity and accuracy, which could result in widespread unemployment if not properly managed. Additionally, the likelihood of AI perpetuating bias is troubling. Because AI systems learn from the data they are trained on, any inherent prejudices within that data can be magnified, reinforcing societal disparities and discrimination. Ethical dilemmas related to privacy and surveillance also pose significant issues, as AI systems frequently gather vast quantities of personal information, raising concerns about the usage and protection of such data. Furthermore, the lack of clarity in some AI systems suggests that their decision-making processes can be challenging to comprehend or contest, leading to worries about accountability. While AI carries tremendous potential to revolutionize industries and enhance lives, it is vital to address these challenges thoughtfully and ethically to ensure its advantages are distributed fairly and responsibly.