Safely getting AI out of ‘baby tiger mode’

The need for a human touch in the AI revolution.

At Ragan’s AI Horizons Conference earlier this year, Noelle Russell, CEO of the AI Leadership Institute, shared her perspectives on the need for responsible use of AI platforms amid the technological explosion.

To emphasize her point, Russell’s presentation began with an AI-deepfake introduction of herself. She told the crowd that AI’s widened accessibility is also creating more points of vulnerability that organizations and communicators need to be aware of.

“It didn’t just deepfake my face, it also deepfaked my voice,” she said. “All I had to do was talk for two minutes into my phone.”

Russell likened the rise of AI technology and its adoption by the masses to a furry animal at the zoo. It might seem fun, but if you’re not careful with it there’s a chance you’ll pay dearly later on down the line.

“When companies adopt AI, it starts in baby tiger mode — it’s cute, fluffy, exciting,” she said. “But no one’s asking how big it will get, what it will eat or what happens when it grows.”

“Big tigers kill you,” she added emphatically.

Russell also said that human beings play a major role in the future of AI. Because AI platforms (LLMs in particular) are influenced by their input, comms pros should carefully consider their brand and tone when they’re using AI to help in comms-related tasks.

“Don’t ever use a model off the shelf unless you’ve checked its behavior,” she said. “These models amplify stereotypes. Unless you check them, they will carry all that garbage into your product and your brand voice.”

She also said that a clear mind and knowledge of where you want AI to point you can help when you’re working with platforms in a comms capacity.

“Everyone has to learn how to build AI systems,” Russell said. “But the only skill you need is clarity of thought.”

Check out more from Russell’s talk below.

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