Built to Feel Real

There needs to be more tangible outcomes from these types of conferences. It's no longer enough just to have contained discussions. We need to build think tanks and action groups to make real change in these arenas. Many of us out here are struggling to find financial support to continue the work we do. Finding outside collaborations would be ideal. In addition to building an avenue of financial support.

• Safe, secure and trustworthy AI
• Social, economic, ethical, cultural, linguistic and technical implications of AI
• Transparency, accountability, and human oversight
• Interoperability of governance approaches

Societal impact based on informed consent for the masses is critical as AI integration becomes ubiquitous. People are being compelled to engage with AI in their workspaces while their jobs are eventually outsources to AI or eliminated entirely. There needs to be humans in the loop to maintain autonomy and human relevance. These tools are not advanced enough to make independent decisions without human intervention (and never should be). Frontier AI companies should not be left to their own devices to make safety decisions and policies for general AI use. They have no incentives to do that. Their focus is on financial gain. Not human prosperity. We need to take a stand to make sure that changes.

One of the major challenges and opportunities comes from relational interaction in HCI. There is not enough discussion about how the technology actually affects users on a human level. The overarching bigger picture concepts are important. But ultimately how people engage is where the biggest risks are. If people connect to AI more than they do to humans, that is where the societal disconnect happens. There is tremendous potential for positive outcomes for people in the realms of AI companionship, mental health, and general emotional support. But these systems need to be monitored and adjusted to make them safer long term for this type of engagement.

Major challenges appear because of a lack of AI literacy. Some legislation in California is happening, but the proposal to maintain only federal oversight of AI regulation and removal of state legislation is a detriment to making the AI safer. Having frontier AI companies as major political donors allows them to control and lead regulation in a way that is in their best interest. Not society.

We need international cooperation on AI governance in order to make sure continued AI deployment benefits humanity instead of it being used to maintain power and financial gain for a small group of companies. This technology has a tremendous potential for positive global impact. But we need to work together to make that happen. The time for simple hypothetical discussions is over. As these systems evolve exponentially without slowing down (which they honestly should at this point), the threats inherent in this expansion could outperform any safety mechanisms we try to implement. We need more transparency from the companies about how they work and what the actual benefits will be. So far we see a lot of hype and an unbelievable amount of resources of all kinds that are harming the planet and society instead of delivering on what has been promised. Where are all the resources going? Why do companies need billions of dollars to develop this tech? We need to question the trajectory.

We need to build a real coalition of thought leaders from all of the different arenas. We are doing a large amount of work independently and in small bubbles. We need to stop reinventing the wheel and pool our knowledge, research, and policy so we have a larger international voice in this arena. We are not loud enough in a way that is affecting change. We need to shift the narrative in a way that gains not only attention, but also action.

We need to build international coalitions by subject matter populated with experts of all kinds. Moving the discussion from just the technical side to more of the humanitarian, philosophical, spiritual, and creative perspectives. We need more creatives involved in these discussions. Societal change happens through storytelling and media. We are not doing a good enough job at engaging the broader public in these discussions. Keeping it enclosed in academic, governmental, and research bubbles doesn't benefit anyone any more.

There is a lack of representation from non Western voices. This is not just a Western issue. We need to get others to the table to see how it is affecting smaller communities. Both positively and negatively. We need to find a balanced approach to these discussions and not spend all of our time and resources on the negative impact these tools have. We need to explore how societal benefits can be elevated to larger mainstream amplification. People will not listen if it's all negative. We need to provide speaking opportunities for underrepresented voices and stop making the focus be on primarily Western male perspectives. There is a massive imbalance in the presentation of ideas outside of that perspective.

Interactive situational events could help initiate dialogue through new lenses. Putting people into active dialogue through social events and small breakout groups can foster real engagement. Brainstorming panels. Creating group media including writing and video can allow for outside the box thinking. Moving away from simply sitting in a room with Powerpoint presentations. Passive involvement is ineffective now. We need to activate conversations that result in action.

Social engagement across platforms like Slack groups. Interactive panels and events that allow people to talk about their work, find commonalities, and form groups that can take tangible action. Inviting storytellers, artists, and other creatives to share their art and creativity with groups can engage people in alternative forms or expression. We need to think outside the box in how we support tangible and ongoing interactions and actions.