Title: AI Voices From the Past: Living Their Future
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Examining the history from the medieval era demonstrates that advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) respond to forms of thought and work from centuries ago. Medieval societies already imagined a future where machines were autonomous. The future thinking of the medieval era captured many of our wonders today. What is life? What are machines? Can these machines act for themselves?
Creative Experience
The goal of this sort of content is to challenge assumptions about innovation and our present by drawing on relevant stories from our shared past. In this instance, I began workshopping the thought with Julie Samuels, FRSA, that our current "obsession" with artificial intelligence (AI) couldn't have possibly come out of nowhere. We were intrigued by the possibility of imbuing artefacts with "life" in the medieval era. With a broad interpretation of "AI" in mind, I prioritised accessible information over going as far back in time as possible (which I would do if I had the time!), and landed on Albertus Magnus' story. The task then was to create a narrative based on rigorous research, and Kang and Halliburtons Android of Albertus Magnus provided an excellent foundation to build on.
* The initial research has culminated in a blog post and an image created using AI. Sections of written text taken from the blog was used to generate the image.
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada
Biography and links
Ismael is the founder and CEO of Kairoi, the AI Ethics & Research Governance consultancy. Since 2021, Ismael has also led the project An Incomplete History of Research Ethics, which is open for public reuse and contributions. He has been trained in analytic philosophy and recently convened the RSA's Fellow-led AI Interest Group.