Shifting the debate from technical to sociological

All debates around Gen AI made me realized that the fact that it is creativity that debate circles around (picture generation, texts, sounds, music), i.e. all that we regarded as “human” traits, and that would be the last ones to be automated.

Before that we would replace all “boring jobs”, all routine, etc. Now those jobs seem, in many cases, to be quite difficult actually.

Because they require context, common sense reasoning and often planning. Like cleaning your room. Like driving a car in Lima, Peru or Oslo. Like performing bureaucratic tasks which involves or have to adhere to laws, regulations, etc.

All this made AI to go from “technical” (give me your data and we build a model and run it, update it. full control in all processes) to something that involves language, human communication, creativity and thus sociology started to play a role. And psychology. And even geo-politics become part of the discussion.

Today I had the chance to discuss these topics at the core of Dutch politics, with Barbara Kathmann and Ufuk Esmer in the building of the “Tweede Kamer” (House of Representatives) in Den Haag. One thing we definitely agree on is that it is long overdue that there is a public debate on Artificial Intelligence, benefits, but also its place, its needs and its risks in society.

We will have a more in-depth debate tomorrow at our Capgemini Leidsche Rijn offices on this. Looking forward to it!

(And the state of the public digital services, ref picture from an information stand, really shows the need for a good vision and strategy on digital services).