Maybe you could organize a lot of big-sounding names in computing (names that look major to people not in the field, such as winners of top awards) to speak out against the various rampant and accelerating baggery of our field.

But the culture of our field right is in such a state that you won't influence many of the people in the field itself.

And so much economic power is behind the baggery now, that citizens outside the field won't be able to influence the field much. (Not even with consumer choice, when companies have been forcing tech baggery upon everyone for many years.)

So, if you can't influence direction through the people doing it, nor through public sentiment of the other people, then I guess you want to influence public policy.

One of the countries whose policy you'd most want to influence doesn't seem like it can be influenced positively right now.

But other countries can still do things like enforce IP rights on data used for ML training, hold parties liable for behavior they "delegate to AI", mostly eliminate personal surveillance, etc.

(And I wonder whether more good policy may suddenly be possible than in the past? Given that the trading partner most invested in tech baggery is not only recently making itself a much less desirable partner, but also demonstrating that the tech industry baggery facilitates a country self-destructing?)

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mmooss 3 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Every problem these days is met with a lecture on helplessness. People have all the power they need; they just have believe it and use it. Congress and the President can easily be pressured to vote in laws that the public wants - they all want to win the next election.

	▲	DavidPiper 3 hours ago \| parent \| next [-]
		I agree with you, but also want to point out the other powerful consumer signal - "vote with your wallet" / "walk away" - is blocked by the fact that AI is being forced into every conceivable crevice of every willing company, and walking away from your job is a very hard thing to do. So you end up being an unwilling enabler regardless. (This is taking the view that "other companies" are the consumers of AI, and actual end-consumers are more of a by-product/side-effect in the current capital race and their opinions are largely irrelevant.)
	▲	Alex2037 2 hours ago \| parent \| prev \| next [-]
		>Congress and the President can easily be pressured to vote in laws that the public wants this president? :)))
	▲	goatlover 2 hours ago \| parent \| prev \| next [-]
		The current US president is pursuing an autocratic takeover where elections are influenced enough to keep the current party in power, whether Trump is still alive to run for a third term, or his anointed successor takes the baton. Assuming someone further to the right like Nick Fuentes doesn't manage to take over the movement.
	▲	vkou 3 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		Trump's third term will not be the product of a free and fair election in a society bound by the rule of law.

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vkou 3 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

> Maybe you could organize a lot of big-sounding names in computing (names that look major to people not in the field, such as winners of top awards) to speak out against the various rampant and accelerating baggery of our field.

The voices of a hundred Rob Pikes won't speak half as loud as the voice of one billionaire, because he will speak with his wallet.