Unlock the Future of AI: Insights from MIT's Leading Minds

The realm of artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly evolving, transforming industries and reshaping our understanding of technology. Navigating this landscape requires informed perspectives and a keen awareness of both its potential and challenges. Join us as we delve into the key discussions and insights shared at the MIT Northern California's Tech Conference 2017, offering a glimpse into the future of AI and its impact on society. This deep dive encapsulates the critical conversations surrounding algorithmic transparency, the transformation of work, and the ethical considerations necessary for responsible innovation.

The Vision of the MIT Northern California Tech Conference 2017

Welcome to the MIT Club of Northern California's Technology Conference 2017! This marked the first time the club organized a technology conference, with a strong emphasis on the future of AI.

Shuja Keen, the chair of the technology track, expressed his excitement at seeing so many people attend, even on a Saturday morning. He acknowledged the effort it took to set aside time and perhaps even cure a hangover to spend the day immersed in technology discussions. The goal of the conference was clear: to bring together a community of connected and accomplished individuals to explore how AI can be harnessed to make the world a better place. The importance of MIT alumni in technology and innovation is something that kept being Mentioned throughout the early segments. This network serves as a catalyst for great ideas and collaboration opportunities. A brief flashback to August of the previous year when Bridget became president of the MIT alumni serves to highlight the value that MIT alums have in creating great conversations.

Building the Tech Community: From Unconference to AI Focus

Keen highlighted the effort to reignite the technology track, which had been somewhat dormant previously. The team spent months gauging interest and shaping the conference's focus. Through eight events in the previous six months, the community explored topics like AI, VR, AR, and digital health.

The overwhelming response and engagement led to the idea of hosting a conference, something bigger than the previous unconference formats that they held. The Bay Area, with its 15,000 MIT alumni, many working in the tech industry, presented a unique opportunity to bring together this highly accomplished and connected community. The community is a vital resource for entrepreneurs, investors, engineers and scientists working with technology on a daily basis. The value of the technology track for the MIT community came about through providing value for these alums and for the technology community as a whole. The success of the conference came from being able to bring people from across MIT to collaborate on a larger Scale.

Acknowledging the Pillars of Support: Volunteers and Sponsors

It's critical to recognize the indispensable contributions of volunteers, whose hard work transformed the vision of the MIT AI conference into a concrete, valuable experience. The organizing committee was made up of ten very busy people. These are key relationships that need recognition in these types of engagements. Shuja Keen also extended gratitude to the event's sponsors, particularly Mark Cornberg, the seed investor who recognized the potential in combining MIT's legacy with the groundbreaking field of AI.

Other key sponsors such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Affinity, TRG The Resource Group, Lightspeed Venture Partners, NEA, Wells Fargo, and Morgan Stanley, among other silver sponsors, played a role in the success of the technology conference. A comprehensive list of the various supporters were outlined.

Navigating the Conference: Practical Information and Engagement

To enhance the conference experience, attendees were encouraged to utilize the #MITAI Twitter handle and a special Snapchat filter for social media engagement. The event would be live-streamed on YouTube and Facebook, allowing broader participation. In addition, a Slack community was created as a hub for ongoing discussions. Addressing technical difficulties with the mobile app, Dave Wong was available for password resets and login support.

The goals for the conference were simple; have it be fun and keep the conversations going. Shuja says that he did not get a chance to thank the volunteers but intends to invite the volunteers up to the stage during the show in order to thank them. To stay connected and engaged, there are multiple avenues available. The conference would kick off its first speaker of the day, Hemant Taneja.

Hement Taneja's Presentation: Innovation for Positive Change

After a brief introduction, Hement Taneja from General Catalyst takes the stage, describing his presentation in broad strokes and offering a general Outline. Taneja opens his talk with an emphasis on the importance of responsible innovation and the need to consider the broader implications of technology. Taneja starts by acknowledging this is an area of investment and an area for positive change.

Taneja’s talk is more on a philosophical and abstract perspective on the broader trends in AI and how we should be thinking about these trends. “AI is electricity”, Andrew Ng famously said, and this was something Taneja used as a general analogy. Taneja highlights different AI implementations to showcase his perspectives. The aim was to move from efficiency based practices to the bigger picture of responsible innovation in all aspects of life.

The Dilemma of Dual Use: AI as a Force for Good or Ill?

Moving forward into the middle of his presentation, Taneja highlights a key component of any technology. He mentions that “every technology is dual use” citing some examples to bring his point across.

He starts by acknowledging that the application of technology comes back to intention and action, that the application of technology may be more profound than the technology itself. He states that we’re all responsible. Citing the example that is the advent of air travel Taneja explains how a wonderful thing has also created some serious consequences. As AI gets used across different industries we need to understand its capabilities, but also understand our place in making the world a better place. A couple of the examples that Taneja used in the show are the following:

• The need to be aware of unintended consequences
• The problem of potential weaponization
• The problem of how AI will influence the election
• The problem of climate change.

Three Principles for Innovating Responsibly with AI

One example is when Shuja's wife became worried that the technology could eliminate her from the work place. Taneja argues that the technology does not have to be used for that purpose. Taneja says, “what if we build a radiologist service that helps with triage and helps with being preemptive?”