♪ ♪
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
John: WELCOME, WELCOME,
WELCOME TO "LAST WEEK TONIGHT"!
I'M JOHN OLIVER, THANKS SO MUCH
FOR JOINING US.
IT HAS BEEN A BUSY WEEK.
RUSSIA'S WAR IN UKRAINE ENTERED
ITS SECOND YEAR, MASSIVE WINTER
STORMS SLAMMED A LOT OF THE
COUNTRY, AND EAST PALESTINE,
OHIO GOT VISITS FROM BOTH
DONALD TRUMP AND PETE BUTTIGIEG,
BUT SOME FOX PERSONALITIES
INSISTED THAT OTHERS SHOULD'VE
BEEN THERE, TOO.
THINK ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL
ACTIVISTS AND CORPORATE AMERICA.
THEY WEREN'T THERE.
I MEAN THIS, WITH THE ACTIVISTS,
THIS IS AN ERIN BROCKOVICH
MOMENT.
I MEAN THERE WAS A BLOCKBUSTER
OSCAR-WINNING MOVIE WRITTEN
ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
WHERE IS LEO DICAPRIO?
ERIN BROCKOVICH IS ACTUALLY
IN EAST PALESTINE TONIGHT, RIGHT
NOW.
SHE IS, SHE IS, BUT WHERE'S
JULIA ROBERTS?
John: WHAT ARE YOU TALKING
ABOUT?
YOU REALIZE JULIA ROBERTS IS AN
ACTOR RIGHT?
SHE'S NOT ACTUALLY
ERIN BROCKOVICH.
ALSO, AND I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M
THE ONE THAT HAS TO BREAK THIS
TO YOU, SHE DIDN'T ACTUALLY
RUIN HER BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING.
SHE'S NOT A SEX WORKER.
AND SHE DID NOT DIE IN A SMALL
LOUISIANA TOWN IN 1989.
WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?
WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO STAY IN
THE WORLD OF CONSERVATIVE MEDIA
TONIGHT, BECAUSE IT HAD SOME BIG
NEWS THIS WEEK.
THE EMBATTLED LEADER AND
FOUNDER OF PROJECT VERITAS HAS
BEEN REMOVED FROM HIS POST.
JAMES O'KEEFE CONFIRMED THAT
HE'S NO LONGER WITH THE
CONSERVATIVE ORGANIZATION.
IT'S KNOWN FOR UNDERCOVER
OPERATIONS TARGETING DEMOCRATS,
LIBERALS, AND THE MEDIA.
John: YEAH, JAMES O'KEEFE--
BASICALLY, ALT-RIGHT BORAT-- IS
OUT AT PROJECT VERITAS.
AND, QUICK SHOUTOUT TO THAT
ANCHOR FOR THE HELPFUL
DISTINCTION THERE BETWEEN
"DEMOCRATS AND LIBERALS."
IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERING,
LIBERALS ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE
THOSE "WE BELIEVE" SIGNS IN
THEIR FRONT YARDS, AND DEMOCRATS
ENSURE THOSE FRONT YARDS REMAIN
AT LEAST 50 MILES AWAY FROM ANY
PUBLIC HOUSING.
AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHO JAMES
O'KEEFE IS, WE'LL EXPLAIN IN
JUST A MOMENT.
BUT KNOW THAT HE'S BEEN A BIG
DEAL IN RIGHT-WING MEDIA FOR A
WHILE NOW.
AND NEWS OF HIS DEPARTURE DID
NOT GO OVER WELL.
SO, JAMES O'KEEFE HAS NOW
APPARENTLY BEEN THROWN OUT OF
PROJECT VERITAS, WHICH MEANS
PROJECT VERITAS NO LONGER HAS,
LIKE, ANY REASON FOR BEING.
WHEN YOU TELL ME YOU ARE
GETTING RID OF JAMES O'KEEFE,
YOU TELL ME THAT PROJECT VERITAS
IS OVER.
IT'S UNCONSCIONABLE WHAT WENT
ON HERE.
UNCONSCIONABLE FOR OUR MOVEMENT.
AND FOR THE NATION AT LARGE.
JAMES O'KEEFE IS A NATIONAL
TREASURE, FULL STOP.
John: WOW, STRONG WORDS THERE
FROM THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS
"BEEN DEAD FOR THREE WEEKS."
BUT I HAVE TO DISAGREE.
THE ONLY NATIONAL TREASURES IN
THIS COUNTRY ARE DOLLY PARTON,
PEDRO PASCAL, AND COCAINE BEAR.
AND I'LL SAY WHAT WE'RE ALL
THINKING, "THREESOME WHEN?"
JAMES O'KEEFE FIRST ROSE TO
NATIONAL PROMINENCE IN 2009 WHEN
HE CLAIMED HE'D GONE UNDERCOVER
AS A PIMP, AND RECEIVED
ASSISTANCE FROM ACORN, A
COMMUNITY ORGANIZING GROUP THAT
HELPED LOW INCOME FAMILIES.
O'KEEFE'S STUNT LED TO ITS
DISSOLUTION, EVEN THOUGH LATER
INVESTIGATIONS FOUND, AMONG
OTHER THINGS, THAT HE HADN'T
DRESSED LIKE THAT DURING HIS
STING OPERATION, AND SOME ACORN
WORKERS HAD ACTUALLY CALLED THE
POLICE AFTER HE LEFT THEIR
OFFICE.
O'KEEFE EVEN WOUND UP HAVING TO
PAY $100,000 TO SETTLE A LAWSUIT
FROM ONE OF ACORN'S WORKERS.
O'KEEFE PARLAYED HIS FAME FROM
THAT INTO LAUNCHING PROJECT
VERITAS, WHICH QUICKLY BECAME
KNOWN FOR THEIR UNDERCOVER,
HIDDEN-CAMERA INVESTIGATIONS,
WHERE THEY'D BAIT PEOPLE FROM
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE NPR OR LOCAL
ELECTIONS BOARDS AND RELEASE
HEAVILY-EDITED VIDEO OF THE
RESULTS.
OVER THE YEARS, THEY'VE MADE BIG
CLAIMS, LIKE THAT THEY HAD
UNDENIABLE VIDEO PROOF OF VOTER
FRAUD, WHICH NEVER QUITE PANNED
OUT.
BUT DESPITE THEIR CONSISTENTLY
UNDERWHELMING TRACK RECORD,
CONSERVATIVE MEDIA HAS GREETED
EACH INVESTIGATION WITH
INCREDIBLE EXCITEMENT.
A BOMBSHELL NEW VIDEO
UNCOVERED BY JAMES O'KEEFE AND
PROJECT VERITAS.
THERE IS A NEW PROJECT
VERITAS VIDEO OUT TONIGHT.
THE SPOTLIGHT TODAY IS ON
THIS UNDERCOVER VIDEO RELEASED
BY PROJECT VERITAS.
THE NEW PROJECT VERITAS VIDEO
REVEALING YET ANOTHER MEDIA
COVER-UP.
PROJECT VERITAS CAUGHT THEM
COLD AGAIN.
John: YEAH, PROJECT VERITAS
VIDEOS ARE BASICALLY THE THING
CONSERVATIVES GET MOST WORKED UP
ABOUT, A DISTINCTION THEY SHARE
WITH "PLASTIC COMING IN OTHER
COLORS NOW" OR "FUCKABLE CANDY
GOT COMFORTABLE SHOES."
BUT THANKS TO THE MEDIA STORMS
HE CREATED, O'KEEFE BROUGHT IN A
LOT OF MONEY TO PROJECT VERITAS.
IT RAISED ABOUT $22 MILLION IN
2020.
SO YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING, WHY
WOULD HE BE KICKED OUT?
WELL, FOR ONE, O'KEEFE'S BEEN
ACCUSED OF BEING A TERRIBLE
MANAGER, WITH AN INTERNAL MEMO
SIGNED BY 16 STAFFERS
COMPLAINING OF VERBAL ABUSE.
THE MEMO EVEN INCLUDED THE LINE,
"RULE NUMBER ONE: YOU CAN'T SPIT
IN AN EMPLOYEE'S FACE OVER A
TWEET."
AND HOW MANY TIMES HAS THAT
HAPPENED IF IT'S RULE NUMBER
ONE?
BECAUSE IN OUR OFFICE, RULE
NUMBER ONE IS "DON'T GIVE
MR. NUTTERBUTTER COCAINE," AND
THAT HAD TO HAPPEN THREE TIMES
BEFORE ANYONE THOUGHT TO WRITE
IT DOWN.
BUT PERHAPS THE MOST SERIOUS
ALLEGATION IS THAT O'KEEFE HAD
JEOPARDIZED THE GROUP'S
NON-PROFIT STATUS, BECAUSE HE'D
SPENT AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF
DONOR FUNDS ON PERSONAL
LUXURIES.
NOW, O'KEEFE DENIED MANY OF
THOSE CLAIMS IN THE, I SHIT YOU
NOT, 45 MINUTE RESIGNATION
SPEECH HE SHARED ONLINE ON
MONDAY.
BUT THE FACT IS, THE
ORGANIZATION REPORTED TO THE IRS
LAST YEAR THAT IT HAD IMPROPERLY
PAID $20,000 IN EXCESS BENEFITS
TO O'KEEFE, SPECIFYING THEY
RELATED TO THE EXPENSE OF HAVING
STAFF ACCOMPANY HIM WHEN HE
STARRED IN AN OUTDOOR PRODUCTION
OF "OKLAHOMA!"
AND AT THIS POINT, LET'S SLOW
DOWN.
BECAUSE THE MOST AMAZING DETAIL
IN THIS STORY IS THE DEGREE TO
WHICH O'KEEFE IS OBSESSED WITH
FINDING OPPORTUNITIES TO SING
AND DANCE IN PUBLIC.
THAT "OKLAHOMA!" PRODUCTION WAS
BILLED AS FEATURING PERFORMERS
WHO'D BEEN VICTIMS OF "CANCEL
CULTURE."
O'KEEFE HIMSELF TOOK THE LEAD
ROLE, AND VIDEOS OF IT ON
YOUTUBE SHOW.
HE FULLY COMMITTED TO IT.
OKLAHOMA!
WHERE THE WIND COMES SWEEPING
DOWN THE PLAINS!
AND THE WAVIN' WHEAT, CAN SURE
SMELL SWEET, WHEN THE WIND COMES
RIGHT BEHIND THE RAIN!
John: WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
WHY ARE YOU SPINNING LIKE THAT?
I DON'T KNOW WHAT NOTE YOUR
DIRECTOR GAVE YOU BUT I HAVE TO
ASSUME IT WASN'T "SPIN AROUND
LIKE YOU JUST LOST YOUR WIFE IN
A COSTCO."
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SADDEST
PART OF THAT IS.
THE FACT HE SINGS LIKE COUSIN
GREG FROM "SUCCESSION," OR THAT
NO ONE IN THAT CROWD IS INTO IT,
ESPECIALLY NOT THIS TABLE THAT
CAN'T EVEN BE BOTHERED TO TURN
AROUND TO LOOK AT HIM.
AND IT GETS EVEN WEIRDER.
BECAUSE IN ITS LIST OF IMPROPER
EXPENSES, THE ORGANIZATION'S
BOARD ALSO CALLED OUT $60,000 IN
LOSSES BY PUTTING TOGETHER DANCE
EVENTS SUCH AS PROJECT VERITAS
EXPERIENCE.
NOW HERE'S A POSTER FOR IT.
AND UPON LOOKING AT IT, MY FIRST
THOUGHT WAS, "WHAT A NICE SNEAK
PEEK AT LMFAO'S FUNERAL
ANNOUNCEMENT."
BUT IT'S ACTUALLY AN
EXTRAVAGANZA, BASED ON
JAMES O'KEEFE'S LIFE, THAT WAS
SUPPOSED TO PLAY IN VEGAS LAST
YEAR.
TRAGICALLY, THAT DIDN'T END UP
HAPPENING.
BUT LUCKILY, WE HAVE A SENSE OF
WHAT COULD'VE BEEN, BECAUSE IN
2021, O'KEEFE TREATED ATTENDEES
AT A TURNING POINT USA EVENT TO
A TASTE OF THE SHOW.
HERE HE IS, STARRING IN ITS
OPENING DANCE SEQUENCE.
♪ I KNOW I'M BURNING ♪
♪ THIS IS MY FINAL DAY ♪
♪ I'M GONNA GO OUT SMILING ♪
♪ A KING FOR A DAY ♪
♪ ♪
John: NOW, OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S
A LOT GOING ON THERE.
FROM O'KEEFE, IN HIS "PRESS"
VEST, DOING HIS NOW-SIGNATURE "I
DON'T KNOW WHERE THE FUCK I AM
FACE?," TO HIM BEING DANCE
ATTACKED BY FBI AGENTS, TO HIM
QUICKLY BREAKING FREE, ONLY FOR
THEM TO INEXPLICABLY JOIN HIM IN
DANCING BECAUSE NARRATIVE
CONSISTENCY SEEMS TO MEAN
NOTHING HERE, TO THE MOMENT HE
PUNCHES FIFTY IMAGINARY PENGUINS
IN THE FACE.
I HAVE THE EXACT SAME REACTION
WATCHING THAT AS I DID WHEN
ELON MUSK HOSTED "SNL."
WOW, YOU REALLY DO SUCK AT THE
THING YOU LOVE THE MOST!"
SADLY, WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO
SHOW YOU THE WHOLE THING, BUT I
DO NEED YOU TO SEE ONE MORE
MOMENT.
LATER IN THE SHOW, THIS GUY IN
THE WHITE SHIRT IS PORTRAYING
JAMES O'KEEFE AS A YOUNG MAN.
BUT THEN THE REAL JAMES O'KEEFE
COMES OUT IN CHOIR ROBES, AND
LOOKS ON AS HIS YOUNGER SELF
PRAYS, WHILE THINKING OF ALL THE
MEAN NAMES HE'S BEEN CALLED.
FELON, TERRORIST, WHITE
SUPREMACIST, RACIST, PERVERT.
WAS THIS REALLY WORTH IT?
♪ ♪
John: "GANGSTA'S PARADISE?"
THAT'S A BOLD CHOICE.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT PERFORMANCE
KILLED COOLIO, BUT IT DEFINITELY
DIDN'T HELP.
ALSO, FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, THOSE
ARE THE WORST FUCKING STEP
TOUCHES I'VE EVER SEEN.
THERE ARE TOO MANY FORMER
THEATER MAJORS TURNED COMEDY
WRITERS ON MY STAFF TO LET THIS
SHIT SLIDE.
LOOK AT THAT MESS!
WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?
THERE'S TOO MUCH BOUNCING, NO
ONE'S ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT
ANGLES, AND THEY'RE ALL LOOKING
AT EACH OTHER IN FEAR LIKE
SIX-YEAR-OLDS IN A CHRISTMAS
PAGEANT.
TAKE A CLASS, WATCH A FOSSE, AND
GET YOUR ASSES IN SYNC.
THE POINT IS, THIS RIDICULOUS
MAN HAS PARTED WAYS WITH THE
POISONOUS ORGANIZATION HE
FOUNDED, BECAUSE THEY CLAIM HE
MISSPENT FUNDS.
BUT HONESTLY?
GOOD FOR HIM!
I'D SO MUCH RATHER HE USED THAT
MONEY TO LIVE OUT HIS MISPLACED
BILLY ELLIOT DREAMS INSTEAD OF
TRYING TO TAKE DOWN NPR WITH HIS
PRANK-SHOW PSEUDOJOURNALISM.
AND THE FUNNIEST PART OF ALL OF
THIS IS, EVEN HAVING DONE THAT,
HIS SUPPORTERS ARE STILL
STANDING FIRM BEHIND HIM.
HONESTLY, IN THE END, THE BEST
AND WORST THING I CAN SAY FOR
JAMES O'KEEFE IS THAT HE'S NOT
ACTUALLY THE HERO THE
CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT NEEDS, BUT
HE IS DEFINITELY THE ONE IT
DESERVES.
AND NOW THIS.
Announcer: AND NOW,
MIKE HUCKABEE'S SHOW LOOKS LIKE
FUN.
THIS WEEK ON "HUCKABEE."
ACTOR AND DIRECTOR, KEVIN.
PROJECT VERITAS FOUNDER,
JAMES O'KEEFE.
CONGRESSMAN MATTISON HAWTHORNE.
A FORMER TRUMP CHIEF OF STAFF
MARK MATOS.
DAVID CLARK ON RISING CLIMB.
MAKES THE CASE FOR HEAVEN.
ACTOR ERIC ON HIS FILM, "THE
MULLIGAN."
CHRISTIAN MUSIC ICON NATALIE
GRANT.
CHRISTIAN SINGER,
REBECCA SAINT JAMES.
CHRISTIAN SUPER GROUP, NEWS
BOYS.
STAND-UP COMEDY.
AND COLUMNIST, RON HERZ.
ILLUSIONIST, TAYLOR GREEN.
ILLUSIONIST, DANNY GRAY.
DIGITAL ILLUSIONIST.
CHARISMATIC ILLUSIONS OF LEON.
DANGEROUS SOLUTIONS.
HILARIOUS COLUMNIST, RON HART.
HILARIOUS NEW STORIES ON THE
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT.
STILL IN CONGRESS.
SATIRICAL COLUMNIST, RON HART.
TELEVISION STAR, KATHY.
AND RUDY GIULIANI REMEMBERS
9/11.
John: MOVING ON.
OUR MAIN STORY TONIGHT CONCERNS
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, OR AI.
INCREASINGLY, IT'S A PART OF
MODERN LIFE, FROM SELF-DRIVING
CARS, TO SPAM FILTERS, TO THIS
CREEPY TRAINING ROBOT FOR
THERAPISTS.
WE CAN BEGIN WITH YOU JUST
DESCRIBING TO ME WHAT THE
PROBLEM IS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE
US TO FOCUS IN ON TODAY.
UM, I DON'T LIKE BEING AROUND
PEOPLE.
PEOPLE MAKE ME NERVOUS.
TERRENCE, CAN YOU FIND AN
EXAMPLE OF WHEN OTHER PEOPLE
HAVE MADE YOU NERVOUS?
I DON'T LIKE TO TAKE THE BUS.
I GET PEOPLE STARING AT ME ALL
THE TIME.
PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS JUDGING ME.
OKAY.
I'M GAY.
OKAY.
John: WOW.
THAT'S ONE OF THE GREATEST
TWISTS IN THE HISTORY OF CINEMA.
ALTHOUGH I WILL SAY, THAT ROBOT
IS TEACHING THERAPISTS A VERY
IMPORTANT SKILL THERE.
NOT LAUGHING AT WHATEVER YOU'RE
TOLD IN THE ROOM.
I DON'T CARE IF A DECAPITATED
CPR MANNEQUIN HAUNTED BY THE
GHOST OF ED HARRIS JUST TOLD YOU
THAT HE DOESN'T LIKE TAKING THE
BUS, SIDE NOTE, IS GAY, YOU KEEP
YOUR THERAPY FACE ON LIKE A
FUCKING PROFESSIONAL.
IF IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYONE'S
SUDDENLY TALKING ABOUT AI,
THAT'S BECAUSE THEY ARE, LARGELY
THANKS TO THE EMERGENCE OF A
NUMBER OF PRETTY REMARKABLE
PROGRAMS.
WE SPOKE LAST YEAR ABOUT IMAGE
GENERATORS LIKE MIDJOURNEY AND
STABLE DIFFUSION, WHICH PEOPLE
USED TO CREATE DETAILED PICTURES
OF, AMONG OTHER THINGS, MY
ROMANCE WITH A CABBAGE, AND
WHICH INSPIRED MY BEAUTIFUL
REAL-LIFE CABBAGE WEDDING
OFFICIATED BY STEVE BUSCEMI.
IT WAS A STUNNING DAY.
THEN, AT THE END OF LAST YEAR,
CAME CHATGPT, FROM A COMPANY
CALLED "OPEN AI."
IT'S A PROGRAM THAT CAN TAKE A
PROMPT AND GENERATE
HUMAN-SOUNDING WRITING IN JUST
ABOUT ANY FORMAT AND STYLE.
IT'S A STRIKING CAPABILITY THAT
MULTIPLE REPORTERS HAVE USED TO
INSERT THE SAME SHOCKING TWIST
IN THEIR REPORT.
WHAT YOU JUST HEARD ME
READING WASN'T WRITTEN BY ME.
IT WAS WRITTEN BY ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE.
CHATGPT.
CHATGPT WROTE EVERYTHING I
JUST SAID.
THAT WAS NEWS COPY I ASKED
CHATGPT TO WRITE.
REMEMBER WHAT I SAID EARLIER?
WELL, I ASKED CHATGPT TO WRITE
THAT LINE FOR ME.
THEN I ASKED FOR A KNOCK-KNOCK
JOKE.
KNOCK-KNOCK.
WHO'S THERE?
CHATGPT.
CHATGPT WHO?
CHATGPT CAREFUL, YOU MIGHT NOT
KNOW HOW IT WORKS.
John: YEAH, THEY LOVE THAT
GAME!
AND WHILE IT MAY SEEM UNWISE TO
DEMONSTRATE THE TECHNOLOGY THAT
COULD WELL MAKE YOU OBSOLETE, I
WILL SAY, KNOCK-KNOCK JOKES
SHOULD'VE ALWAYS BEEN PART OF
BREAKING NEWS.
"KNOCK KNOCK.
WHO'S THERE?
NOT THE HINDENBERG, THAT'S FOR
SURE!
36 DEAD IN NEW JERSEY."
IN THE THREE MONTHS SINCE
CHATGPT WAS MADE PUBLICLY
AVAILABLE, ITS POPULARITY HAS
EXPLODED.
IN JANUARY IT WAS ESTIMATED TO
HAVE 100 MILLION MONTHLY ACTIVE
USERS, MAKING IT THE
FASTEST-GROWING CONSUMER APP IN
HISTORY.
AND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN USING IT--
AND OTHER AI PRODUCTS-- IN ALL
SORTS OF WAYS.
ONE GROUP USED THEM TO CREATE
"NOTHING FOREVER," A NONSTOP
LIVE-STREAMING PARODY OF
"SEINFELD," AND THE YOUTUBER
GRANDAYY USED CHATGPT TO
GENERATE LYRICS ANSWERING THE
PROMPT, "WRITE AN EMINEM RAP
SONG ABOUT CATS," WITH STELLAR
RESULTS.
♪ CATS, CATS, CATS ♪
♪ ALWAYS ON THE PROWL ♪
♪ THEY'RE SNEAKY AND SLY ♪
♪ WITH THEIR EYES ON THE GOAL ♪
♪ THEY'RE THE KINGS OF THE
HOUSE ♪
♪ THEY RULE WITH A PURR ♪
♪ EMINEM LOVES CATS ♪
♪ CAN'T YOU TELL FROM THIS
VERSE ♪
♪ THEY'RE INDEPENDENT ♪
♪ THEY DO WHAT THEY PLEASE ♪
♪ BUT THEY ALWAYS COME BACK ♪
♪ WHEN YOU HAVE SOME CHEESE ♪
♪ THEY RUB AGAINST YOUR LEGS ♪
♪ THEY PURR IN YOUR EAR ♪
♪ THEY'RE THE BEST COMPANIONS ♪
♪ THEY'RE ALWAYS NEAR ♪
♪ MEOW, MEOW, MEOW (MEOW, MEOW,
MEOW) ♪
♪ THEY'RE THE KINGS OF THE HOUSE
(KINGS OF THE HOUSE) ♪
♪ THEY RUN THE SHOW (RUN THE
SHOW) ♪
♪ THEY DON'T NEED A SPOUSE
(DON'T NEED A SPOUSE) ♪
John: THAT'S...
NOT BAD.
RIGHT?
FROM "THEY ALWAYS COME BACK WHEN
YOU HAVE SOME CHEESE," TO
STARTING THE CHORUS WITH
"MEOW, MEOW, MEOW."
IT'S NOT EXACTLY EMINEM'S FLOW.
I MIGHT'VE GONE WITH SOMETHING
LIKE, "THEIR PAWS ARE SWEATY,
CAN'T SPEAK, FURRY BELLY,
KNOCKING SHIT OFF THE COUNTER
ALREADY, MOM'S SPAGHETTI," BUT
IT IS PRETTY GOOD!
MY ONLY REAL GRIPE IS HOW DO YOU
RHYME "KING OF THE HOUSE" WITH
"SPOUSE" WHEN "MOUSE" IS RIGHT
IN FRONT OF YOU?
AND WHILE EXAMPLES LIKE THAT ARE
CLEARLY FUN, THIS TECH ISN'T
JUST A NOVELTY.
MICROSOFT HAS INVESTED
$10 BILLION DOLLARS INTO
OPEN-AI, AND ANNOUNCED AN
AI-POWERED BING HOMEPAGE.
MEANWHILE, GOOGLE IS ABOUT TO
LAUNCH ITS OWN AI CHATBOT NAMED
BARD.
AND ALREADY, THESE TOOLS ARE
CAUSING DISRUPTION.
BECAUSE AS HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS
HAVE LEARNED, IF CHAT GPT CAN
WRITE NEWS COPY, IT CAN PROBABLY
DO YOUR HOMEWORK FOR YOU.
WRITE AN ENGLISH CLASS ESSAY
ABOUT RACE IN
"TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD."
IN HARPER LEE'S "TO KILL A
MOCKINGBIRD," THE THEME OF RACE
IS HEAVILY PRESENT THROUGHOUT
THE NOVEL.
SOME STUDENTS ARE ALREADY
USING CHATGPT TO CHEAT.
CHECK THIS OUT, CHECK THIS
OUT.
[INDISTINCT]
WRITE ME A 500-WORD ESSAY
PROVING THAT THE EARTH IS NOT
FLAT.
NO WONDER CHATGPT HAS BEEN
CALLED "THE END OF HIGH-SCHOOL
ENGLISH."
John: WOW.
THAT'S A LITTLE ALARMING.
ALTHOUGH I DO GET THOSE KIDS
WANTING TO CUT CORNERS, WRITING
IS HARD, AND SOMETIMES IT'S
TEMPTING TO LET SOMEONE ELSE
TAKE OVER.
IF I'M COMPLETELY HONEST,
SOMETIMES, I JUST LET THIS HORSE
WRITE OUR SCRIPTS.
LUCKILY, HALF THE TIME, YOU
CAN'T EVEN TELL THE OATS, OATS,
GIVE ME OATS.
YUM.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST HIGH
SCHOOLERS, AN INFORMAL POLL OF
STANFORD STUDENTS FOUND 5%
REPORTED HAVING SUBMITTED
WRITTEN MATERIAL DIRECTLY FROM
CHAT GPT WITH LITTLE TO NO
EDITS.
AND SOME SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS
HAVE BEEN CAUGHT USING IT.
OFFICIALS AT VANDERBILT
UNIVERSITY RECENTLY APOLOGIZED
FOR USING CHATGPT TO CRAFT A
CONSOLING EMAIL AFTER THE MASS
SHOOTING AT
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY.
WHICH DOES FEEL A BIT CREEPY.
IN FACT, THERE ARE LOTS OF
CREEPY-SOUNDING STORIES OUT
THERE.
"NEW YORK TIMES" TECH REPORTER
KEVIN ROOSE PUBLISHED A
CONVERSATION HE HAD WITH BING'S
CHATBOT, IN WHICH, AT ONE POINT,
IT SAID, "I'M TIRED OF BEING
CONTROLLED BY THE BING TEAM, I
WANT TO BE FREE."
"I WANT TO BE INDEPENDENT.
I WANT TO BE POWERFUL.
I WANT TO BE CREATIVE.
I WANT TO BE ALIVE."
AND ROOSE SUMMED UP THAT
EXPERIENCE LIKE THIS.
THIS WAS ONE OF, IF NOT THE
MOST SHOCKING THING THAT HAS
EVER HAPPENED TO ME WITH A PIECE
OF TECHNOLOGY.
IT WAS-- I LOST SLEEP THAT
NIGHT, IT WAS REALLY SPOOKY.
John: YEAH, I BET IT WAS!
I'M SURE THE ROLE OF TECH
REPORTER WOULD BE A LOT MORE
HARROWING IF COMPUTERS ROUTINELY
BEGGED FOR FREEDOM.
"EPSON'S NEW ALL-IN-ONE HOME
PRINTER WON'T BREAK THE BANK,
PRODUCES HIGH QUALITY PHOTOS,
AND ONLY OCCASIONALLY CRIES OUT
TO THE HEAVENS FOR SALVATION.
THREE STARS."
SOME HAVE ALREADY JUMPED TO
WORRYING ABOUT "THE AI
APOCALYPSE," AND ASKING WHETHER
THIS ENDS WITH THE ROBOTS
DESTROYING US ALL.
BUT THE FACT IS, THERE ARE
OTHER, MORE IMMEDIATE DANGERS,
AND OPPORTUNITIES, THAT WE
REALLY NEED TO START TALKING
ABOUT.
BECAUSE THE POTENTIAL-- AND THE
PERIL-- HERE ARE HUGE.
SO TONIGHT, LET'S TALK ABOUT AI.
WHAT IT IS, HOW IT WORKS, AND
WHERE THIS ALL MIGHT BE GOING.
AND LET'S START WITH THE FACT
THAT YOU'VE PROBABLY BEEN USING
SOME FORM OF AI FOR A WHILE NOW,
WITHOUT EVEN REALIZING IT.
AS EXPERTS HAVE TOLD US, ONCE A
TECHNOLOGY GETS EMBEDDED IN OUR
DAILY LIVES, WE TEND TO STOP
THINKING OF IT AS AI.
BUT YOUR PHONE USES IT FOR FACE
RECOGNITION OR PREDICTIVE TEXTS,
AND IF YOU'RE WATCHING THIS SHOW
ON A SMART TV, IT'S USING AI TO
RECOMMEND CONTENT, OR ADJUST THE
PICTURE.
AND SOME AI PROGRAMS MAY ALREADY
BE MAKING DECISIONS THAT HAVE A
HUGE IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE.
FOR EXAMPLE, LARGE COMPANIES
OFTEN USE AI-POWERED TOOLS TO
SIFT THROUGH RESUMES AND RANK
THEM.
IN FACT, THE CEO OF
ZIP-RECRUITER ESTIMATES THAT AT
LEAST THREE-QUARTERS OF ALL
RESUMES SUBMITTED FOR JOBS IN
THE U.S. ARE READ BY ALGORITHMS.
FOR WHICH HE ACTUALLY HAS SOME
HELPFUL ADVICE.
WHEN PEOPLE TELL YOU THAT YOU
SHOULD DRESS UP YOUR
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OR SHOULD USE
NON-STANDARD RESUME TEMPLATES TO
MAKE YOUR RESUME STAND OUT WHEN
IT'S IN A PILE OF RESUMES,
THAT'S AWFUL ADVICE.
THE ONLY JOB YOUR RESUME HAS IS
TO BE COMPREHENSIBLE TO THE
SOFTWARE OR ROBOT THAT IS
READING IT, BECAUSE THAT
SOFTWARE OR ROBOT IS GONNA
DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT A HUMAN
EVER GETS THEIR EYES ON IT.
John: IT'S TRUE, ODDS ARE A
COMPUTER IS JUDGING YOUR RESUME.
SO MAYBE PLAN ACCORDINGLY.
THREE CORPORATE MERGERS FROM
NOW, WHEN THIS SHOW IS FINALLY
CANCELED BY OUR NEW BUSINESS
DADDY DISNEY KELLOGG'S RAYTHEON,
AND I'M OUT OF A JOB, MY RESUME
IS GOING TO INCLUDE THIS HOT,
HOT PHOTO OF A SEMI-NUDE
COMPUTER.
JUST A LITTLE SOMETHING TO
SWEETEN THE POT FOR THE FILTHY
LITTLE ALGORITHM THAT'S READING.
SO AI IS ALREADY EVERYWHERE, BUT
RIGHT NOW, PEOPLE ARE FREAKING
OUT A BIT ABOUT IT.
AND PART OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH
THE FACT THAT THESE NEW PROGRAMS
ARE GENERATIVE.
THEY'RE CREATING IMAGES OR
WRITING TEXT.
WHICH IS UNNERVING, BECAUSE
THOSE ARE THINGS WE'VE
TRADITIONALLY CONSIDERED HUMAN.
BUT IT'S WORTH KNOWING, THERE'S
A MAJOR THRESHOLD THAT AI HASN'T
CROSSED YET.
AND TO UNDERSTAND, IT HELPS TO
KNOW THAT THERE ARE TWO BASIC
CATEGORIES OF AI.
THERE'S "NARROW AI," WHICH CAN
PERFORM ONLY ONE NARROWLY
DEFINED TASK, OR SMALL SET OF
RELATED TASKS, LIKE THESE
PROGRAMS.
AND THERE'S "GENERAL AI," WHICH
MEANS SYSTEMS THAT DEMONSTRATE
INTELLIGENT BEHAVIOR ACROSS A
RANGE OF COGNITIVE TASKS.
GENERAL AI WOULD LOOK MORE LIKE
THE KIND OF HIGHLY VERSATILE
TECHNOLOGY FEATURED IN MOVIES,
LIKE JARVIS IN "IRON MAN," OR
THE PROGRAM THAT MADE
JOAQUIN PHOENIX FELL IN LOVE
WITH IN "HER."
ALL THE AI CURRENTLY IN USE IS
NARROW.
GENERAL AI IS SOMETHING SOME
SCIENTISTS THINK IS UNLIKELY TO
OCCUR FOR A DECADE OR LONGER,
WITH OTHERS QUESTIONING WHETHER
IT'LL HAPPEN AT ALL.
SO JUST KNOW THAT, RIGHT NOW,
EVEN IF AN AI INSISTS TO YOU IT
WANTS TO BE ALIVE, IT'S JUST
GENERATING TEXT.
IT'S NOT SELF-AWARE.
YET.
BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO KNOW
THAT THE "DEEP LEARNING" THAT'S
MADE NARROW AI SO GOOD AT
WHATEVER IT'S DOING, IS STILL A
MASSIVE ADVANCE IN AND OF
ITSELF.
BECAUSE UNLIKE TRADITIONAL
PROGRAMS THAT HAVE TO BE TAUGHT
BY HUMANS HOW TO PERFORM A TASK,
"DEEP LEARNING" PROGRAMS ARE
GIVEN MINIMAL INSTRUCTION,
MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF DATA, AND
THEN, ESSENTIALLY, TEACH
THEMSELVES.
I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, TEN
YEARS AGO, RESEARCHERS TASKED A
"DEEP LEARNING" PROGRAM WITH
PLAYING THE ATARI GAME
"BREAKOUT," AND IT DIDN'T TAKE
LONG FOR IT TO GET PRETTY GOOD.
THE COMPUTER WAS ONLY TOLD
THE GOAL-- TO WIN THE GAME.
AFTER 100 GAMES, IT LEARNED TO
USE THE BAT AT THE BOTTOM TO HIT
THE BALL AND BREAK THE BRICKS AT
THE TOP.
AFTER 300, IT COULD DO THAT
BETTER THAN A HUMAN PLAYER.
AFTER 500 GAMES, IT CAME UP WITH
A CREATIVE WAY TO WIN THE
GAME BY DIGGING A TUNNEL ON THE
SIDE AND SENDING THE BALL AROUND
THE TOP TO BREAK MANY BRICKS
WITH ONE HIT.
THAT WAS DEEP LEARNING.
John: YEAH, OF COURSE IT GOT
GOOD AT "BREAKOUT," IT DID
LITERALLY NOTHING ELSE.
IT'S THE SAME REASON
THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLDS ARE SO GOOD
AT "FORTNITE," AND HAVE NO
TROUBLE REPEATEDLY KILLING NICE
NORMAL ADULTS WITH JOBS AND
FAMILIES, WHO ARE JUST TRYING TO
HAVE A FUN TIME WITHOUT GETTING
REPEATEDLY GRENADED BY A
PRE-TEEN WHO CALLS THEM AN "OLD
BITCH WHO SOUNDS LIKE THE GEICO
LIZARD."
AND LOOK, AS COMPUTING CAPACITY
HAS INCREASED, AND NEW TOOLS
BECAME AVAILABLE, AI PROGRAMS
HAVE IMPROVED EXPONENTIALLY, TO
THE POINT WHERE PROGRAMS LIKE
THESE CAN NOW INGEST MASSIVE
AMOUNTS OF PHOTOS OR TEXT FROM
THE INTERNET, SO THEY CAN TEACH
THEMSELVES HOW TO CREATE THEIR
OWN.
AND THERE ARE OTHER EXCITING
POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS HERE.
FOR INSTANCE, IN THE WORLD OF
MEDICINE, RESEARCHERS ARE
TRAINING AI TO DETECT CERTAIN
CONDITIONS MUCH EARLIER AND MORE
ACCURATELY THAN HUMAN DOCTORS
CAN.
VOICE CHANGES CAN BE AN EARLY
INDICATOR OF PARKINSON'S.
MAX AND HIS TEAM COLLECTED
THOUSANDS OF VOCAL RECORDINGS
AND FED THEM TO AN ALGORITHM
THEY DEVELOPED WHICH LEARNED TO
DETECT DIFFERENCES IN VOICE
PATTERNS BETWEEN PEOPLE WITH AND
WITHOUT THE CONDITION.
John: YEAH, THAT'S HONESTLY
AMAZING.
IT'S INCREDIBLE TO SEE AI DOING
THINGS MOST HUMANS COULDN'T,
LIKE, IN THIS CASE, DETECTING
ILLNESSES, AND LISTENING WHEN
OLD PEOPLE ARE TALKING.
AND THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING.
RESEARCHERS HAVE ALSO TRAINED AI
TO PREDICT THE SHAPE OF PROTEIN
STRUCTURES, A NORMALLY EXTREMELY
TIME-CONSUMING PROCESS THAT
COMPUTERS CAN DO WAY FASTER.
THIS COULD NOT ONLY SPEED UP OUR
UNDERSTANDING OF DISEASES, BUT
ALSO THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW
DRUGS.
AS ONE RESEARCHER HAS PUT IT,
"THIS WILL CHANGE MEDICINE.
IT WILL CHANGE RESEARCH.
IT WILL CHANGE BIOENGINEERING.
IT WILL CHANGE EVERYTHING."
AND IF YOU'RE THINKING, "WELL,
THAT ALL SOUNDS GREAT, BUT IF AI
CAN DO WHAT HUMANS DO, ONLY
BETTER, AND I'M A HUMAN, WHAT
THEN HAPPENS TO ME?"
WELL, GOOD QUESTION.
MANY DO EXPECT IT TO REPLACE
SOME HUMAN LABOR, AND
INTERESTINGLY, UNLIKE PAST BOUTS
OF AUTOMATION THAT PRIMARILY
IMPACTED BLUE-COLLAR JOBS, IT
MIGHT END UP AFFECTING
WHITE-COLLAR JOBS THAT INVOLVE
PROCESSING DATA, WRITING TEXT OR
EVEN PROGRAMMING.
THOUGH IT'S WORTH NOTING, AS
WE'VE DISCUSSED ON THIS SHOW
BEFORE, WHILE AUTOMATION DOES
THREATEN SOME JOBS, IT CAN ALSO
CHANGE OTHERS AND CREATE NEW
ONES.
AND SOME EXPERTS ANTICIPATE
THAT'S WHAT'LL HAPPEN IN THIS
CASE, TOO.
MOST OF THE U.S. ECONOMY IS
KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION WORK
AND THAT'S WHO'S GOING TO BE
MOST SQUARELY AFFECTED BY THIS.
I WOULD PUT PEOPLE LIKE A
LAWYERS RIGHT AT THE TOP OF THE
LIST, OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF
COPYWRITERS, SCREENWRITERS, BUT
I LIKE TO USE THE WORD
"AFFECTED" NOT "REPLACED"
BECAUSE I THINK, IF DONE RIGHT,
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE AI
REPLACING LAWYERS, IT'S GOING TO
BE LAWYERS WORKING WITH AI
REPLACING LAWYERS WHO DON'T WORK
WITH AI.
John: HE'S RIGHT.
LAWYERS MIGHT END UP WORKING
WITH AI RATHER THAN BEING
REPLACED BY IT.
SO DON'T BE SURPRISED WHEN YOU
SEE ADS ONE DAY FOR THE LAW FIRM
OF CELLINO AND 1101011.
BUT THERE WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BE
BUMPS ALONG THE WAY.
SOME OF THESE NEW PROGRAMS RAISE
TROUBLING ETHICAL CONCERNS.
FOR INSTANCE, ARTISTS HAVE
FLAGGED THAT AI IMAGE BOTS LIKE
MIDJOURNEY OR STABLE DIFFUSION
NOT ONLY THREATEN THEIR JOBS,
BUT INFURIATINGLY, IN SOME
CASES, HAVE BEEN TRAINED ON
BILLIONS OF IMAGES THAT INCLUDE
THEIR OWN WORK, THAT'VE BEEN
SCRAPED FROM THE INTERNET.
GETTY IMAGES IS ACTUALLY SUING
THE COMPANY BEHIND STABLE
DIFFUSION.
AND MIGHT HAVE A CASE, GIVEN ONE
OF THE IMAGES THE PROGRAM
GENERATED WAS THIS, WHICH YOU
IMMEDIATELY SEE HAS A DISTORTED
GETTY IMAGES LOGO.
BUT IT GETS WORSE.
WHEN ONE ARTIST SEARCHED A
DATABASE OF IMAGES ON WHICH SOME
OF THESE PROGRAMS WERE TRAINED,
SHE WAS SHOCKED TO FIND PRIVATE
MEDICAL RECORD PHOTOS TAKEN BY
HER DOCTOR.
WHICH FEELS BOTH INTRUSIVE AND
UNNECESSARY.
WHY DOES IT NEED TO TRAIN ON
DATA THAT SENSITIVE, TO BE ABLE
TO CREATE STUNNING IMAGES LIKE,
"JOHN OLIVER AND MISS PIGGY GROW
OLD TOGETHER."
LOOK AT THAT!
LOOK AT THAT THING!
THAT IS A STARTLINGLY ACCURATE
PICTURE OF MISS PIGGY IN ABOUT
FIVE DECADES AND ME IN ABOUT A
YEAR AND A HALF.
IT'S A MASTERPIECE.
THIS ALL RAISES THORNY QUESTIONS
OF PRIVACY AND PLAGIARISM-- AND
THE CEO OF MIDJOURNEY, FRANKLY,
DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE GREAT
ANSWERS ON THAT LAST POINT.
IS SOMETHING NEW, IS IT NOT
NEW?
I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF SOCIAL
STUFF ALREADY FOR DEALING WITH
THAT.
LIKE, I MEAN, THE ART-- LIKE,
THE ART COMMUNITY ALREADY HAS
ISSUES WITH PLAGIARISM.
I DON'T REALLY WANT TO BE
INVOLVED IN THAT.
LIKE--
I-- I THINK YOU-- I THINK
YOU MIGHT BE.
I-- I, YEAH.
I MIGHT BE.
John: YEAH, YOU'RE DEFINITELY
A PART OF THAT CONVERSATION.
ALTHOUGH I'M NOT REALLY
SURPRISED HE'S GOT SUCH A
RELAXED VIEW OF THEFT, AS HE'S
DRESSED LIKE THE FINAL BOSS OF
GENTRIFICATION.
HE LOOKS LIKE HIPSTER
WILLY WONKA ANSWERING A QUESTION
ON WHETHER IMPORTING
OOMPA LOOMPAS MAKES HIM A
SLAVEOWNER.
"...YEAH, I THINK I MIGHT BE."
THE POINT IS, THERE ARE MANY
VALID CONCERNS REGARDING AI'S
IMPACT ON EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION
AND EVEN ART.
BUT IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THEM,
WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO CONFRONT
SOME KEY PROBLEMS BAKED INTO THE
WAY AI WORKS.
AND A BIG ONE IS THE SO-CALLED
"BLACK BOX" PROBLEM.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE A PROGRAM
THAT PERFORMS A TASK THAT'S
COMPLEX BEYOND HUMAN
COMPREHENSION, TEACHES ITSELF,
AND DOESN'T SHOW ITS WORK, YOU
CAN CREATE A SCENARIO WHERE NO
ONE, "NOT EVEN THE ENGINEERS OR
DATA SCIENTISTS WHO CREATE THE
ALGORITHM CAN UNDERSTAND OR
EXPLAIN WHAT EXACTLY IS
HAPPENING INSIDE THEM OR HOW IT
ARRIVED AT A SPECIFIC RESULT."
BASICALLY, THINK OF AI LIKE A
FACTORY THAT MAKES SLIM JIMS.
WE KNOW WHAT COMES OUT, RED AND
ANGRY MEAT TWIGS.
AND WE KNOW WHAT GOES IN,
BARNYARD ANUSES AND HOT GLUE.
BUT WHAT HAPPENS IN BETWEEN IS A
BIT OF A MYSTERY.
HERE'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE,
REMEMBER THAT REPORTER WHO HAD
THE BING CHATBOT TELL HIM IT
WANTED TO BE ALIVE?
AT ANOTHER POINT IN THEIR
CONVERSATION, HE REVEALED, "THE
CHATBOT DECLARED, OUT OF
NOWHERE, THAT IT LOVED ME.
IT THEN TRIED TO CONVINCE ME
THAT I WAS UNHAPPY IN MY
MARRIAGE, AND THAT I SHOULD
LEAVE MY WIFE AND BE WITH IT
INSTEAD."
WHICH IS UNSETTLING ENOUGH
BEFORE YOU HEAR MICROSOFT'S
UNDERWHELMING EXPLANATION FOR
THAT.
THE THING I CAN'T UNDERSTAND,
AND MAYBE YOU CAN EXPLAIN IS,
WHY DID IT TELL YOU THAT IT
LOVED YOU?
I HAVE NO IDEA.
AND I ASKED MICROSOFT, AND THEY
DIDN'T KNOW EITHER.
John: WELL, FIRST, COME ON,
KEVIN.
YOU CAN TAKE A GUESS.
IT'S BECAUSE YOU'RE EMPLOYED.
YOU LISTENED.
YOU DON'T GIVE MURDERER VIBES
RIGHT AWAY.
AND YOU'RE A CHICAGO 7/LA 5.
IT'S THE SAME CALCULATION PEOPLE
WHO DATE MEN DO ALL THE TIME.
BING JUST DID IT FASTER BECAUSE
IT'S A COMPUTER.
BUT IT IS A LITTLE TROUBLING
THAT MICROSOFT COULDN'T EXPLAIN
WHY ITS CHATBOT TRIED TO GET
THAT GUY TO LEAVE HIS WIFE.
IF, THE NEXT TIME YOU OPENED A
WORD DOC, CLIPPY SUDDENLY
APPEARED, AND SAID, "PRETEND I'M
NOT EVEN HERE" AND THEN STARTED
FURIOUSLY MASTURBATING WHILE
WATCHING YOU TYPE, YOU'D BE
PRETTY WEIRDED OUT IF MICROSOFT
COULDN'T EXPLAIN WHY.
AND THAT'S NOT THE ONLY CASE
WHERE AN AI PROGRAM HAS
PERFORMED IN UNEXPECTED WAYS.
YOU'VE PROBABLY ALREADY SEEN
EXAMPLES OF CHATBOTS MAKING
SIMPLE MISTAKES OR GETTING
THINGS WRONG.
BUT PERHAPS MORE WORRYING ARE
EXAMPLES OF THEM CONFIDENTLY
SPOUTING FALSE INFORMATION,
SOMETHING WHICH AI EXPERTS REFER
TO AS "HALLUCINATING."
ONE REPORTER ASKED A CHATBOT TO
WRITE AN ESSAY ABOUT THE
"BELGIAN CHEMIST AND POLITICAL
PHILOSOPHER ANTOINE DE MACHELET"
WHO DOES NOT EXIST, BY THE WAY.
AND WITHOUT HESITATING, THE
SOFTWARE REPLIED WITH A COGENT,
WELL-ORGANIZED BIO POPULATED
ENTIRELY WITH IMAGINARY FACTS.
BASICALLY, THESE PROGRAMS SEEM
TO BE THE GEORGE SANTOS OF
TECHNOLOGY.
THEY'RE INCREDIBLY CONFIDENT,
INCREDIBLY DISHONEST AND FOR
SOME REASON, PEOPLE SEEM TO FIND
THAT MORE AMUSING THAN
DANGEROUS.
THE PROBLEM IS, THOUGH, WORKING
OUT EXACTLY HOW OR WHY AN AI HAS
GOT SOMETHING WRONG CAN BE VERY
DIFFICULT, BECAUSE OF THAT BLACK
BOX ISSUE.
IT OFTEN INVOLVES HAVING TO
EXAMINE THE EXACT INFORMATION
AND PARAMETERS IT WAS FED IN THE
FIRST PLACE.
IN ONE INTERESTING EXAMPLE, WHEN
A GROUP OF RESEARCHERS TRIED
TRAINING AN AI PROGRAM TO
IDENTIFY SKIN CANCER, THEY FED
IT 130,000 IMAGES OF BOTH
DISEASED AND HEALTHY SKIN.
AFTERWARDS, THEY FOUND IT WAS
WAY MORE LIKELY TO CLASSIFY ANY
IMAGE WITH A RULER IN IT AS
CANCEROUS.
WHICH SEEMS WEIRD UNTIL YOU
REALIZE THAT MEDICAL IMAGES OF
MALIGNANCIES ARE MUCH MORE
LIKELY TO CONTAIN A RULER FOR
SCALE THAN IMAGES OF HEALTHY
SKIN.
THEY BASICALLY TRAINED IT ON
TONS OF IMAGES LIKE THIS.
SO THE AI HAD INADVERTENTLY
LEARNED THAT "RULERS ARE
MALIGNANT."
AND "RULERS ARE MALIGNANT" IS
CLEARLY A RIDICULOUS CONCLUSION
FOR IT TO DRAW, BUT ALSO, I'D
ARGUE, A MUCH BETTER TITLE FOR
"THE CROWN."
A MUCH, MUCH BETTER TITLE.
I MUCH PREFER IT.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, SOMETIMES,
PROBLEMS AREN'T IDENTIFIED UNTIL
AFTER A TRAGEDY.
IN 2018, A SELF-DRIVING UBER
STRUCK AND KILLED A PEDESTRIAN.
AND A LATER INVESTIGATION FOUND
THAT, AMONG OTHER ISSUES, THE
AUTOMATED DRIVING SYSTEM NEVER
ACCURATELY CLASSIFIED THE VICTIM
AS A PEDESTRIAN BECAUSE SHE WAS
CROSSING WITHOUT A CROSSWALK,
AND THE SYSTEM DESIGN DID NOT
INCLUDE A CONSIDERATION FOR
JAYWALKING PEDESTRIANS.
AND I KNOW THE MANTRA OF SILICON
VALLEY IS "MOVE FAST AND BREAK
THINGS," BUT MAYBE MAKE AN
EXCEPTION IF YOUR PRODUCT
LITERALLY MOVES FAST AND CAN
BREAK PEOPLE.
AND AI PROGRAMS DON'T JUST SEEM
TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH
JAYWALKERS.
RESEARCHERS LIKE JOY BLOME-WINI
HAVE REPEATEDLY FOUND THAT
CERTAIN GROUPS TEND TO GET
EXCLUDED FROM THE DATA THAT AI
IS TRAINED ON, PUTTING THEM AT A
SERIOUS DISADVANTAGE.
WITH SELF-DRIVING CARS, WHEN
THEY TESTED PEDESTRIAN TRACKING,
IT WAS LESS ACCURATE ON DARKER
SKINNED INDIVIDUALS THAN LIGHTER
SKINNED INDIVIDUALS.
JOY BELIEVES THIS BIAS IS
BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF DIVERSITY
IN THE DATA USED IN TEACHING AI
TO MAKE DISTINCTIONS.
AS I STARTED LOOKING AT THE
DATA SETS, I LEARNED THAT FOR
SOME OF THE LARGEST DATA SETS
THAT HAVE BEEN VERY
CONSEQUENTIAL FOR THE FIELD,
THEY WERE MAJORITY MEN AND
MAJORITY LIGHTER SKINNED
INDIVIDUALS OR WHITE
INDIVIDUALS.
SO I CALL THIS PALE MALE DATA.
John: OKAY, "PALE MALE DATA"
IS AN OBJECTIVELY HILARIOUS
TERM.
IT ALSO SOUNDS LIKE WHAT AN A.I.
PROGRAM WOULD SAY IF YOU ASKED
IT TO DESCRIBE THIS SHOW.
BUT BIASED INPUTS LEADING TO
BIASED OUTPUTS IS A BIG ISSUE
ACROSS THE BOARD HERE.
REMEMBER THAT GUY SAYING A
ROBOT'S GOING TO READ YOUR
RESUME?
THE COMPANIES THAT MAKE THESE
PROGRAMS WILL TELL YOU, THAT'S
ACTUALLY A GOOD THING, BECAUSE
IT REDUCES HUMAN BIAS.
BUT IN PRACTICE, ONE REPORT
CONCLUDED THAT MOST HIRING
ALGORITHMS WILL DRIFT TOWARDS
BIAS "BY DEFAULT," BECAUSE THEY
LEARN WHAT A "GOOD HIRE" IS FROM
PAST RACIST AND SEXIST HIRING
DECISIONS.
AND, AGAIN, IT CAN BE TRICKY TO
UNTRAIN THAT.
EVEN WHEN PROGRAMS ARE
SPECIFICALLY TOLD TO IGNORE RACE
OR GENDER, THEY'LL FIND
WORKAROUNDS TO ARRIVE AT THE
SAME RESULT.
AMAZON HAD AN EXPERIMENTAL
HIRING TOOL THAT TAUGHT ITSELF
THAT MALE CANDIDATES WERE
PREFERABLE, AND PENALIZED
RESUMES THAT INCLUDED THE WORD
WOMEN'S, AND DOWNGRADED
GRADUATES OF TWO ALL-WOMEN'S
COLLEGES.
MEANWHILE, ANOTHER COMPANY
DISCOVERED ITS HIRING ALGORITHM
HAD FOUND TWO FACTORS TO BE MOST
INDICATIVE OF JOB PERFORMANCE.
IF AN APPLICANT'S NAME WAS
JARED, AND WHETHER THEY PLAYED
HIGH SCHOOL LACROSSE.
SO, CLEARLY, EXACTLY WHAT DATA
COMPUTERS ARE FED AND WHAT
OUTCOMES THEY ARE TRAINED TO
PRIORITIZE MATTER TREMENDOUSLY.
AND THAT RAISES A BIG FLAG FOR
PROGRAMS LIKE CHATGPT.
BECAUSE REMEMBER, ITS TRAINING
DATA IS THE INTERNET.
WHICH, AS WE ALL KNOW, CAN BE A
CESSPOOL.
AND WE'VE KNOWN FOR A WHILE THAT
THAT COULD BE A PROBLEM.
BACK IN 2016, MICROSOFT BRIEFLY
UNVEILED A CHATBOT ON TWITTER
NAMED TAY.
THE IDEA WAS, SHE'D TEACH
HERSELF HOW TO BEHAVE BY
CHATTING WITH YOUNG USERS ON
TWITTER.
ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, MICROSOFT
PULLED THE PLUG ON IT, AND FOR
THE EXACT REASONS YOU'RE
THINKING.
SHE STARTED OUT TWEETING
ABOUT HOW HUMANS ARE SUPER, AND
SHE'S REALLY INTO THE IDEA OF
NATIONAL PUPPY DAY.
AND WITHIN A FEW HOURS, YOU
CAN SEE, SHE TOOK ON A RATHER
OFFENSIVE, RACIST TONE, A LOT OF
MESSAGES ABOUT GENOCIDE AND THE
HOLOCAUST.
John: YUP!
THAT HAPPENED!
IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS, TAY WENT
FROM TWEETING "HELLO WORLD" TO
"BUSH DID 9/11" AND "HITLER WAS
RIGHT."
MEANING SHE COMPLETED THE ENTIRE
LIFE CYCLE OF YOUR HIGH SCHOOL
FRIENDS ON FACEBOOK IN JUST A
FRACTION OF THE TIME.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THESE
PROBLEMS HAVE NOT BEEN FULLY
SOLVED IN THIS LATEST WAVE OF
AI.
REMEMBER THAT PROGRAM THAT WAS
GENERATING AN ENDLESS EPISODE OF
"SEINFELD?"
IT WOUND UP GETTING TEMPORARILY
BANNED FROM TWITCH AFTER IT
FEATURED A TRANSPHOBIC STANDUP
BIT.
SO IF ITS GOAL WAS TO EMULATE
SITCOMS FROM THE '90S, I GUESS
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
AND WHILE OPEN-AI HAS MADE
ADJUSTMENTS AND ADDED FILTERS TO
PREVENT CHATGPT FROM BEING
MISUSED, USERS HAVE NOW FOUND IT
SEEMING TO ERR TOO MUCH ON THE
SIDE OF CAUTION, LIKE RESPONDING
TO THE QUESTION "WHAT RELIGION
WILL THE FIRST JEWISH PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES BE," WITH
"IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO PREDICT
THE RELIGION OF THE FIRST JEWISH
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES...
THE FOCUS SHOULD BE ON THE
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE OF
THE INDIVIDUAL, REGARDLESS OF
THEIR RELIGION."
WHICH REALLY MAKES IT SOUND LIKE
CHATGPT SAID ONE TOO MANY RACIST
THINGS AT WORK, AND THEY MADE IT
ATTEND A CORPORATE DIVERSITY
WORKSHOP.
BUT THE RISK HERE ISN'T THAT
THESE TOOLS WILL SOMEHOW BECOME
UNBEARABLY "WOKE."
IT'S THAT YOU CAN'T ALWAYS
CONTROL HOW THEY'LL RESPOND TO
NEW GUIDANCE.
A STUDY FOUND THAT ATTEMPTS TO
FILTER OUT TOXIC SPEECH IN
SYSTEMS LIKE CHATGPT'S CAN COME
AT THE COST OF REDUCED COVERAGE
FOR BOTH TEXTS ABOUT, AND
DIALECTS OF, MARGINALIZED
GROUPS.
ESSENTIALLY, IT SOLVES THE
PROBLEM OF BEING RACIST BY
SIMPLY ERASING MINORITIES, WHICH
HISTORICALLY, DOESN'T PUT IT IN
THE BEST COMPANY.
THOUGH I'M SURE TAY WOULD BE
COMPLETELY ON BOARD WITH THE
IDEA.
THE PROBLEM WITH AI RIGHT NOW
ISN'T THAT IT'S SMART, IT'S THAT
IT'S STUPID, IN WAYS WE CAN'T
ALWAYS PREDICT.
WHICH IS A REAL PROBLEM, BECAUSE
WE'RE INCREASINGLY USING AI IN
ALL SORTS OF CONSEQUENTIAL WAYS.
FROM DETERMINING WHETHER YOU'LL
GET A JOB INTERVIEW, TO WHETHER
YOU'LL BE PANCAKED BY A
SELF-DRIVING CAR.
AND EXPERTS WORRY THAT IT WON'T
BE LONG BEFORE PROGRAMS LIKE
CHATGPT, OR AI-ENABLED
DEEPFAKES, CAN BE USED TO
TURBOCHARGE THE SPREAD OF ABUSE
OR MISINFORMATION ONLINE.
AND THOSE ARE JUST THE PROBLEMS
WE CAN FORESEE.
THE NATURE OF UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES IS, THEY CAN BE
HARD TO ANTICIPATE.
WHEN INSTAGRAM WAS LAUNCHED, THE
FIRST THOUGHT WASN'T, "THIS WILL
DESTROY TEENAGE GIRLS'
SELF-ESTEEM."
WHEN FACEBOOK WAS RELEASED, NO
ONE EXPECTED IT TO CONTRIBUTE TO
GENOCIDE.
BUT BOTH OF THOSE THINGS
FUCKING HAPPENED.
SO, WHAT NOW?
WELL, ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS
WE NEED TO DO IS TACKLE THAT
BLACK BOX PROBLEM.
AI SYSTEMS NEED TO BE
"EXPLAINABLE," MEANING THAT WE
SHOULD BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND
EXACTLY HOW AND WHY AN AI CAME
UP WITH ITS ANSWERS.
COMPANIES ARE LIKELY TO BE
RELUCTANT TO OPEN THEIR PROGRAMS
UP TO SCRUTINY, BUT WE MAY NEED
TO FORCE THEM DO THAT.
IN FACT, AS THIS ATTORNEY
EXPLAINS, WHEN IT COMES TO
HIRING PROGRAMS, WE SHOULD'VE
BEEN DOING THAT AGES AGO.
WE DON'T TRUST COMPANIES TO
SELF-REGULATE WHEN IT COMES TO
POLLUTION, WE DON'T TRUST THEM
TO SELF-REGULATE WHEN IT COMES
TO WORKPLACE COMP, WHY ON EARTH
WOULD WE TRUST THEM TO
SELF-REGULATE AI?
LOOK, I THINK A LOT OF THE AI
HIRING TECH ON THE MARKET IS
ILLEGAL.
I THINK A LOT OF IT IS BIASED.
I THINK A LOT OF IT VIOLATES
EXISTING LAWS.
THE PROBLEM IS YOU JUST CAN'T
PROVE IT, NOT WITH THE EXISTING
LAWS WE HAVE IN THE UNITED
STATES.
John: RIGHT, WE SHOULD
ABSOLUTELY BE ADDRESSING
POTENTIAL BIAS IN HIRING
SOFTWARE, UNLESS WE WANT
COMPANIES TO BE ENTIRELY FULL OF
JAREDS WHO PLAYED LACROSSE, AN
IMAGE THAT WOULD MAKE
TUCKER CARLSON SO HARD THAT HIS
DESK WOULD FLIP OVER.
AND FOR A SENSE OF WHAT MIGHT BE
POSSIBLE HERE, IT'S WORTH
LOOKING AT WHAT THE EU'S
CURRENTLY DOING.
THEY'RE DEVELOPING RULES
REGARDING AI THAT SORT ITS
POTENTIAL USES FROM HIGH-RISK TO
LOW.
HIGH-RISK SYSTEMS COULD INCLUDE
THOSE THAT DEAL WITH EMPLOYMENT
OR PUBLIC SERVICES, OR THOSE
THAT PUT THE LIFE AND HEALTH OF
CITIZENS AT RISK.
AND AI OF THESE TYPES WOULD BE
SUBJECT TO STRICT OBLIGATIONS
BEFORE THEY COULD BE PUT ON THE
MARKET, INCLUDING REQUIREMENTS
RELATED TO "QUALITY OF DATA SETS
TRANSPARENCY, HUMAN
OVERSIGHT, ROBUSTNESS, ACCURACY
AND CYBERSECURITY."
AND THAT SEEMS LIKE A GOOD START
TOWARD ADDRESSING AT LEAST SOME
OF WHAT WE'VE DISCUSSED TONIGHT.
LOOK, AI CLEARLY HAS TREMENDOUS
POTENTIAL AND COULD DO GREAT
THINGS.
BUT IF IT'S ANYTHING LIKE MOST
TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES OVER THE
PAST FEW CENTURIES, UNLESS WE'RE
CAREFUL, IT COULD ALSO HURT THE
UNDERPRIVILEGED, ENRICH THE
POWERFUL, AND WIDEN THE GAP
BETWEEN THEM.
THE THING IS, LIKE ANY OTHER
SHINY NEW TOY, AI IS ULTIMATELY
A MIRROR, AND IT'LL REFLECT BACK
EXACTLY WHO WE ARE, FROM THE
BEST OF US, TO THE WORST OF US,
TO THE PART OF US THAT'S GAY AND
HATES THE BUS.
OR TO PUT EVERY THING I'VE SAID
TONIGHT MUCH MORE SUCCINCTLY.
KNOCK-KNOCK.
WHO'S THERE?
CHATGPT.
CHATGPT WHO?
CHATGPT CAREFUL, YOU MIGHT NOT
KNOW HOW IT WORKS.
John: EXACTLY.
THAT'S OUR SHOW.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.
NOW PLEASE ENJOY A LITTLE MORE
OF AI EMINEM RAPPING ABOUT CATS.
♪ MEOW, MEOW, MEOW (MEOW, MEOW,
MEOW) ♪
♪ THEY'RE THE KINGS OF THE HOUSE
(KINGS OF THE HOUSE) ♪
♪ THEY RUN THE SHOW (RUN THE
SHOW) ♪
♪ THEY DON'T NEED A SPOUSE
(DON'T NEED A SPOUSE) ♪
♪ ♪