Mo Gawdat on future of AI and organisation happiness

Mo Gawdat 

In anticipation of the keynote discussion ‘Mindful Solutions with Mo Gawdat’ organised by Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, the former CBO of Google [X] and best-selling author, tackles some questions on the future of technology and human performance.

Here’s a sneak peek into areas that will be spoken at the much-awaited discussion set to take place here in Sri Lanka later this month, on 28 August at Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo.

Q: Currently, where does Artificial Intelligence stand in the world and where is it taking us? 

AI will drastically change people’s lives. This is a very disruptive moment where AI will go against everything we know. When playing Tetris, once we place one block wrong, the games become no longer easy, it becomes quicker, and we know it’s only a matter of minutes before it ends. It’s the same with AI.

Q:  How has AI transformed over the COVID period and afterwards to what it is today? 

 The biggest pandemic that humanity is facing today is the rise of artificial intelligence. If humanity doesn’t act today, we are heading into a place where we have no idea what could happen. Imagine a world where we are no longer humans but gorillas. We are no longer the smartest being on the planet. There is another being smarter than we are. Think of how we treated the gorillas and ask why we are not talking about this sooner.

Q:  Who are the beneficiaries and who are the losers of AI? 

 We will see mass job losses and replacements of categories of jobs. AI, if not managed with control, will affect those who haven’t done anything wrong or have anything to do with AI. Mere greed alone will affect those who are innocent. 

Q: How has AI adaptation evolved among companies? Will it be a complementing tool to companies or a monopolising weapon?

 We always say not to put it on the open internet, until we know what we are putting out and until we find a way to make certain that they have the best interest in mind. Because those conducting AI have no interest in what the average human will get out of it. Every line of coding written today is to beat the other guy. It’s not to improve the light of the third party. 

Q:  Will AI be a wholesome alternative to human intelligence, or will it become something more?

 Maybe not right now but soon. People’s way of life will differ along with AI. Therefore, the government should not wait till the first patient. 

Q:  To what extent can AI solutions replace conventional approaches?

A:It will, whether it happens in a year or 7 years. I urge people to be ready for this change. Governments give money to people who can build control codes and figure out how we can stay safe.

Q:  What are the points to note regarding AI implementation such as the dangers, regulations, and conditions etc. that organisations and governments need to implement?

A very clear call to action, asking governments to tax AI powered businesses at 98%, to slow them down a little bit and in the meantime to gather money to pay all the people who will get disrupted or put AI on hold till people get the hang of it if they fail to do the above. 

Q: What are the loopholes of AI, where usage can affect the health and lifestyle of youth who are already deeply invested in technology and where can AI be misused?

 People are either ignorant, believing that this is not happening saying it’s not creative and cannot compose music and then there are the kids, those who are all over the social media being enamored by petty tricks of AI. The biggest challenge, what went wrong in the 20th century, is that we have given too much power to those who have not assumed responsibility. 

Q: What is the evolved and evolving organisational ecosystem the way you see it and how could companies take on happiness initiatives?

 The basic ideology is that we are happy when our expectations in life are met and vice versa, unhappy when we are not. Much of our happiness is controllable and that is how we stay above our expectations. Have a deep sense of gratitude and awe for life, if we lose that we lose our happiness.

Q: What is your proposition for Sri Lanka? What could we do to get the best of AI adaptation?

 Talking among small circles of techies and Government regulators is not sufficient. It needs to be discussed at the top level to ensure that regulations are in place before they go out of control. 

Cinnamon presents ‘Mindful solutions with Mo Gawdat’ is in association with John Keells Disruptive Minds and powered by Codegen while supported by Sri Lankan Airlines as the Official Airline partner, 88.3 E FM as the Radio partner, SLASSCOM as the IT partner and Digital Marketing Association of Sri Lanka as the Digital partner. Wijeya Newspapers is the Official Print Media Partner for the event while Scope Cinemas is the Strategic Partner. Contact Cinnamon on +94 71 249 1491 for reservations and bookings for ‘Mindful solutions with Mo Gawdat’ on 28 August, 7.00 p.m. onwards at the Waterside Marquee, Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo.