https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eenews/2023/07/06/a-faster-supercomputer-will-help-scientists-assess-the-risk-of-controlling-sunlight-00104815

  • UlyssesT [he/him]
    ·
    1 year ago

    I don't know about that I think non racist data collection is a thing that could be done.

    Non-racist probably, but completely devoid of political context, even good and well intentioned political context? I highly doubt it. Unless a machine can collect all data from all vectors at all times, decisions have to be made about what data qualifies for the data entry and for what purpose.

    • usernamesaredifficul [he/him]
      ·
      1 year ago

      Yes I agree with you. Although depending on the purpose of the AI in question the politics could be less relevant.

      if for example you wanted an AI that identified what is and is not malware then the politics of the situation is less relevant than if you were using AI to sort through applicants for a job

      • UlyssesT [he/him]
        ·
        1 year ago

        Although depending on the purpose of the AI in question the politics could be less relevant.

        I'll stand by my contention that even the attempt to try to remove politics from a data collection goal is itself a political task, no matter how well intentioned. How do we define politics, after all? The data collection and entry task itself surely has some purpose that is intended to benefit someone, and that decision is a political decision, even if its a well intentioned one.

        what is and is not malware

        I would argue that even the definition of "malware" has wiggle room to be a political task. A decision has to be made regarding what is not malware, and where it is allowed to come from, and for what purpose.

        I didn't say it'd have to be to the same level or with the same harmful biases, but I wanted to put that out there.

        • usernamesaredifficul [he/him]
          ·
          1 year ago

          usually malware is defined as software that violates the policy of the owner of the computer. And while there is politics involved in that decision you do need to define it as malware is harmful to people and organisations

          once again I agree you can't remove politics from a decsion nor should you try

          • UlyssesT [he/him]
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            edit-2
            1 year ago

            I could use a cruder example that is recent and relevant: "If it comes from a Russian source, it is malware!" wojak-nooo

            violates the policy of the owner of the computer

            At a sociopolitical structural level, it's kind of impossible for policies and ownership to not have some political weight.

            I see we mostly agree, but I do want to lean on the side of "nonpolitical is mostly an idealistic claim" when I hear out in the internet wild that some program came to a nonpolitical political decision.

            • usernamesaredifficul [he/him]
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              1 year ago

              normally the claim is that all Chinese software is malware but yes I see your point. It also doesn't help that the Russian government takes not much interest in policing malware production for various reasons largely to do with the rise of organised crime after the fall of the soviet union

              yeah programs aren't non political they are made by people for purposes and thus aren't objective measures of truth. Also you shouldn't just accept anything a computer says because computers make mistakes all the time

              • UlyssesT [he/him]
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                edit-2
                1 year ago

                normally the claim is that all Chinese software

                I still hear about Russian boogeymen, but then again the same claimants often describe the Russians as "commies" so that's how much their opinion is worth. grillman