AI on the Edge: When Progress Outpaces Policy
The 2024 Republican party platform included plans to rescind Biden’s executive order on AI (EO 14110) calling it “dangerous” and saying that it “hinders AI Innovation, and imposes Radical Leftwing ideas on the” technology’s development. It promised to replace the order with a plan that supports “AI Development rooted in Free Speech and Human Flourishing.”
That last line sparked me to jot down my thoughts here as my beer squirted out of my nose. First off, what’s being framed as "Free Speech" has effectively become "Free Hate," driven by a right-wing philosophy rooted in grievance culture. How this connects to the advancement of AI technology is baffling. If the idea is that, like unregulated social media, unregulated AI could cause similar or worse societal damage, then the connection becomes clearer. If social media—with its unchecked influence and well-documented harms—serves as a model for AI governance (or lack thereof), it’s easy to see why mr. tesla, often referred to as a shadow president of sorts, would champion Big Tech and social media operating without constraints.
But let’s talk about mr. tesla for a moment. The Republications invocation of the phrase "Human Flourishing" is laughable coming from a political ecosystem that has consistently opposed measures for the public good. It’s not that discussions around AI benefiting humanity are unwelcome—far from it. Mr. tesla’s track record paints him not as a champion of the common good, but as a self-interested oligarch with personal grievances, particularly toward OpenAI. Let’s not forget, OpenAI was originally a nonprofit, a mission-driven organization. It was mr. tesla himself who pushed for it to become a for-profit venture, fundamentally altering its purpose—from serving humanity to serving investors.
This brings us to the second alarm bell: mr. tesla’s own ventures. Tesla is marred by allegations of coverups, federal investigations, state and individual lawsuits, and claims of unsafe work environments. SpaceX faces harassment lawsuits, Neuralink is under federal scrutiny, and The Boring Company has been dismissed as a hollow project that squandered public resources and delivered no meaningful results. He may have amassed great personal wealth, but his contributions to the public good are minimal at best.
He is not a philanthropist, nor is he building a public commons. His actions consistently prioritize personal gain over collective benefit. Far from fostering transparency or collaboration, mr. tesla harvests data from X (formerly Twitter) without offering users the option to opt out. He didn’t buy the platform to promote dialogue or community but to exploit its data and amplify a right-wing echo chamber for Christian nationalism.Let’s not forget he wants to get rid of 50,000 civil servants and predicts by 2030, there will be 40,000 robots in the workforce. Great for those unemployment numbers!
The bottom line: Republicans rhetoric about "human flourishing" is a hollow facade, masking self-interest and a disregard for the public good. When we consider the implications of such leadership in the unregulated AI landscape, the alarm bells only grow louder.
"ChatGPT maker says Tesla boss wanted top job and board control as feud over AI start-up deepens” -(Mar 5, 2024) Financial Times
"The former Twitter could fade away, or help shape a dark future hosting voices of a new authoritarian world." -The Guardian
Somehow, AI has become politicized, with corporate greed lurking in the shadows. What do these potentially seismic shifts in AI development mean for the future of innovation? From the dismantling of current regulations to the unleashing of unbridled creativity, we are witnessing transformations that could redefine the trajectory of AI evolution.
As someone who has navigated significant AI transitions—advising universities, collaborating with companies, and working with leading-edge AI platforms—here are the questions weighing on my mind:
· What does the acceleration of AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) and ASI (Artificial Superintelligence) development mean for humanity?
· How will business transformation adopt and thrive in this new environment?
· What are the implications for AI companies and entrepreneurs navigating this unregulated terrain?
· Is this a defining moment for our leadership in AI innovation?
Let’s be clear: AI was already poised to spark a new Renaissance, with or without deregulation. Any claims by the new administration about ushering in a "new digital age" are, at best, misplaced credit. To understand the roots of AI and where it's headed, let’s rewind to the “Turing Test”—a concept that laid the foundation for AI as we know it. (Google it. I’ll wait.)
Whether you're a business owner, developer, entrepreneur, or simply curious about AI's future, understanding these shifts is critical. The road ahead for AI is one of immense potential—but also immense responsibility. The choices we make now will define how AI shapes our world, for better or worse.
When the Guardrails Fail: Innovation and the Absence of AI Oversight
The U.S. government's current AI policy attempts to balance innovation with safety, security and ethical standards through several key initiatives, including the U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute Consortium (AISIC) established in February 2024 and the executive order on AI that Biden signed into law in October 2023. The new administration will kill this.
Titled "Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence," the order outlined measures to govern AI development and deployment. It mandated federal agencies to establish standards for AI safety and security, protect privacy and promote equity. It also required the creation of a chief artificial intelligence officer position within major federal agencies to oversee AI-related activities.
Prior to this order, the "Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights" was released by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) in October 2022. It proposed five principles to protect the public from harmful or discriminatory automated systems.
These principles include ensuring safe and effective systems, protecting against algorithmic discrimination, safeguarding data privacy, providing notice and explanation, and offering human alternatives and fallback options.
"In some sense, the status quo for AI regulation is that there is none. Essentially, the goal of the executive order and the AI Safety Institute was to cultivate a conversation at the federal level around what does safe AI mean? What does trustworthy AI mean?" Dr. Jason Corso, professor of robotics and electrical engineering and computer science at the University of Michigan, told Newsweek.
Sources:
One hope for regulation is California Governor Gavin Newsom’s state initiatives he signed more than a dozen other AI-focused bills into law throughout September. These address Transparency in Training Data AB-2013, AI Risk Management SB-896, AI in Health Care SB-1120 AB-3030 , Privacy and AI AB-1008 , Watermarking AI-Generated Content SB-942, Legal Definition of AI AB-2885, AI Education Initiatives SB-1288 AB-2876 , Robocalls Using AI AB-2905 , Combatting Deepfake Pornography SB-981 SB-926 AB-1831, Election Deepfakes AB-2655 AB-2839 AB-2355 , Ai and the Entertainment Industry AB-2602 AB-1836 . Most AI companies are based in California, so it will be interesting to watch what they do.
The Costs of Chaos: What Happens When AI Outruns the Rulebook?
“Donald Trump puts Absolute Idiot in AI.”- random YouTube comment
It is true that the pendulum will swing back to innovation. This means, besides the California Laws, it will be up to the AI companies to self-regulate and the consumer to make a choice which platforms to use. Both for Social Media and AI. Did I mention BlueSky? With the threat of a recession in the states (did I talk about tariffs?), the luxury of maintaining 20 or so AI subscriptions will no longer be sustainable for most people. Choose wisely.
I remain an AI Optimist but relish being an AI Pundit, as well.
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About the Author
Curt Doty current work and legacy lies in branding, product development, social strategy, integrated marketing, and User Experience Design. He has extensive experience on AI-driven platforms MidJourney, Adobe Firefly, ChatGPT, Murf.ai, HeyGen, and DALL-E. His award winning work of entertainment branding includes Electronic Arts, EA Sports, ProSieben, SAT.1, WBTV Latin America, Discovery Health, ABC, CBS, A&E, StarTV, Fox, Kabel 1, and TV Guide Channel.
He is a sought after public speaker having been featured at Streaming Media NYC, Digital Hollywood, Mobile Growth Association, Mobile Congress, App Growth Summit, Promax, CES, CTIA, NAB, NATPE, MMA Global, New Mexico Angels, Santa Fe Business Incubator, EntrepeneursRx and AI Impact. He has lectured at universities including Full Sail, SCAD, Art Center College of Design and Chapman University. His AI consultancy RealmIQ helps enable business transformation in the Age of AI.
He is currently on the board of the Godfrey Reggio Foundation and serves as the marketing director for Performance Santa Fe.
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Thank you, curt.