Ex-Twitter AI Ethicist Warns: The 2016 Data You Forgot About is Now Dangerous

Ex-Twitter AI Ethicist Warns: The 2016 Data You Forgot About is Now Dangerous

From Digital Disruption with Geoff Nielson by Info-Tech Research Group

April 13, 2026 · 1h 15m

About this episode

Dr. Rumman Chowdhury discusses the risks of AI, Big Tech power, and data privacy.

Are we giving up our freedom for convenience without realizing it? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Rumman Chowdhury, a globally recognized AI ethics leader featured in Time and Forbes, to unpack the real risks of artificial intelligence, Big Tech power, and data privacy. As the former Head of AI Ethics at Twitter and Accenture, Dr. Chowdhury shares an insider perspective on how Big Tech is consolidating power, why narratives around AGI and “AI intelligence” are often misleading, and how everyday tools from apps to social media, are quietly shaping a surveillance-driven ecosystem. This conversation dives into AI ethics, surveillance, and the future of work, and explores why trust in AI is declining even as adoption accelerates. We also break down the real-world implications of AI, and most importantly, how you can protect your data, reclaim your agency, and use AI more intentionally. In this video: 00:00 Intro 01:16 What’s wrong with AI today 02:18 Why people trust AI less every year 03:09 Big tech vs the technology itself 04:22 Dangerous narratives about AI 06:09 Anthropomorphism and moral outsourcing 07:40 The myth of AGI and profit motives 09:20 The economics behind AI…

People in this episode

Host: Geoff Nielson

Guest: Dr. Rumman Chowdhury

Topics covered

  • AI ethics
  • data privacy
  • Big Tech power
  • surveillance
  • trust in AI
  • consumer responsibility

Keywords

  • artificial intelligence
  • data misuse
  • surveillance-driven ecosystem
  • AGI
  • privacy paradox
  • consumer agency

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Twitter, Accenture, Time, Forbes

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