Using AI in Your Daily Grind

Alison Taylor

Ethical AI Champion

Unlock AI's potential in daily life with Alison Taylor. Explore how AI shapes routines, relationships, and creativity. Learn about its impact on music, art, health, and dating, and discover why your attention is your most precious resource.

AI Strategy and Governance

Using AI in Your Daily Grind

9 mins 30 secs

Key learning objectives:

Understand how we use AI in our personal lives
Identify examples of creative and ethical uses of AI
Describe what your most precious resource is

Overview:

Understanding how AI impacts our personal lives is essential. Alison Taylor, a business ethics professor, explains the benefits and risks of AI, from creative tools to problematic biases. Using AI responsibly involves recognising its limitations, safeguarding privacy, and avoiding over-reliance. Taylor offers practical tips for balancing AI's advantages with maintaining human judgement and critical thinking. This step helps learners navigate AI's complexities, ensuring it enhances rather than undermines their lives. Prioritise your attention and stay sceptical to future-proof your interactions with AI.

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Summary

How do we currently use AI in our personal lives?

AI is seamlessly integrated into various aspects of our daily routines, often in ways we might not even notice. For instance, traffic apps utilise AI algorithms to predict journey times by analysing real-time traffic data. Email services like Google's Smart Compose automate sentence completion, enhancing productivity. Smart home devices, such as thermostats and security systems, use AI to learn user preferences and optimise home environments. Health and fitness trackers monitor physical activity and vital signs, providing personalised health insights. Budgeting apps analyse spending patterns to offer financial advice. Even in our love lives, AI-powered dating apps match individuals based on complex algorithms. Understanding these uses helps us appreciate AI's convenience while being mindful of its implications.

What are some examples of creative and ethical uses of AI?

AI is revolutionizing creative fields with innovative applications. In music, ElevenLabs Music and Okio AI have developed sophisticated text-to-music generators that transform written prompts into musical compositions. Visual arts have seen a surge in AI-generated content, where users can prompt AI to create detailed images. These tools are not only creative but also ethical when used responsibly. Additionally, AI assists in brainstorming logos and design ideas, with platforms like Pika enabling video content generation. These examples highlight AI's potential to enhance creativity and support ethical practices in art and design.

How can we manage the advantages and disadvantages of AI in our personal lives?

Managing AI's advantages and disadvantages involves adopting several strategies, including:

Data Privacy and Security: Be selective about sharing personal information with AI applications, use strong passwords and two-factor authentication, and keep devices updated to protect against security vulnerabilities
Understanding Biases and Limitations: Recognize that AI can have biases and may not always provide accurate recommendations. Always question AI output and verify critical information with reliable sources
Guarding Against Manipulation: Be aware of targeted advertising and how AI might influence purchasing decisions. Regularly review and manage your digital footprint to understand how your data is being used
Controlling AI Usage: Set boundaries on screen time to avoid over-reliance on AI devices and apps. Engage in offline activities to maintain a balance and ensure you're not overly dependent on technology

What is our most precious resource, and how does AI impact it?

Our most precious resource is our attention. In 1971, Herbert Simon highlighted that information consumes attention, making it increasingly scarce. AI, social media, and other technologies constantly vie for this limited resource. To protect your attention, limit distractions by turning off phone notifications, which can significantly boost productivity. Spend time offline and engage in activities that don't involve screens. Being mindful of how you allocate your attention helps you stay focused and maintain control over your mental resources.

The opinions and viewpoints expressed in this video are those of the creator and do not necessarily reflect the views of any affiliated organisations.

The opinions and viewpoints expressed in this video are those of the creator and do not necessarily reflect the views of any affiliated organisations.

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Alison Taylor

Alison Taylor is a professor at NYU Stern School of Business and the Executive Director of Ethical Systems, a research collaboration focused on ethical organizational culture. She has spent the last two decades consulting multinational companies on risk, anti-corruption, sustainability, human rights, culture and behavior, stakeholder engagement, ESG, and ethics and compliance. She is also a senior advisor at sustainability non-profit BSR, a member of the Board at Venture ESG, and a sustainability advisor at Zai Lab, KKR and Pictet Group. Prior to joining Ethical Systems, she was managing director at Business for Social Responsibility, running the sustainability management, futures and supply chain practices. Alison has also worked at Transparency International, Control Risks, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Fordham Law School. She is a 2023-24 member of the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Good Governance, and is the author of 'Higher Ground: How Business Can Do the Right Thing in a Turbulent World.'

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