About this episode
The episode discusses the implications of algorithmic predictions about human behavior with philosopher Carissa Veliz.
We make predictions all the time including about the weather, about traffic, about what someone is going to say next. It feels natural, even rational. But when algorithms start making predictions about us, whether we'll repay a loan, reoffend after prison, or respond to a medical treatment, something fundamental shifts. The forecast stops being a guess and starts becoming a verdict. My guest today is Carissa Veliz, a philosopher and associate professor at the University of Oxford, where she also researches at the Oxford Internet Institute. Her work focuses on the ethics of technology, privacy, and artificial intelligence, and she advises companies and governments around the world on these issues. She's the author of the widely acclaimed book Privacy is Power, The Ethics of Privacy and Surveillance, and her new book, Prophecy: Prediction, Power, and the Fight for the Future, from Ancient Oracles to AI, is out now. We talk about how the role of prophet has simply changed costumes throughout history from oracles and astrologers to economists and now tech executives and why that matters more than most people realize. Carissa explains how predictions about human beings are…
People in this episode
Host: Chris Parker
Guest: Carissa Veliz
Topics covered
- prediction
- ethics of technology
- artificial intelligence
- privacy
- agency
- algorithms
Keywords
- predictions
- algorithms
- ethics
- privacy
- artificial intelligence
- agency
- technology
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: University of Oxford
Books & works: Privacy is Power, Prophecy: Prediction, Power, and the Fight for the Future
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