In December 2019, we had an extensive talk with Carlo van de Weijer, director of the Eindhoven AI Systems Institute (EAISI), as part of our popular “innovation leaders” series. He spoke about EAISI’s strengths, the power of the human vs. the (robotic) machines, and about divine features we would need. “Perhaps people should become a kind of god for robots”, he said. Because the talk about the many shapes of AI in society was pre-Corona, pre-Ukraine, and above all, pre-ChatGPT, it’s time for an update. Have all these recent developments changed Van de Weijer’s vision? Spoiler alert: not really. Maybe it’s the characteristic of a true visionary: always focus on the long term.
- AI has an enormous impact on our whole society.
- It’s good to monitor the downsides of this new technology, but at the end of the day, society will benefit from it.
- “AI is going to make us more human, not less”, Carlo van de Weijer concludes.
Several huge and small discoveries have changed the course of history. Think of the invention of fire (huge!), or that of a brick to build houses with (not small either). Most of these discoveries have met good and bad users, but still, the bottom line is that they have transformed our society for the better, Carlo van de Weijer says. “Fire allowed us to heat our homes, survive winters, and cook food, but it also had the potential to burn down our homes and forests. A stone brick can be used to smash someone’s head but also to create castles. Similarly, AI has the potential to improve our lives greatly, but it also carries risks that could be disastrous on a global scale.” Despite these risks, van de Weijer is optimistic about the future of AI. “The positive sides of new technology are always far bigger than the negative ones,” he asserts. “With AI, this is no different.”
AI’s potential to improve society is vast. It can revolutionize healthcare, making it easier and more efficient. “It will improve the health systems. To keep ourselves healthy in the future, we need computers and robots to do so because there are not enough people for this important task,” Van de Weijer explains. He believes that the productivity gains from AI can make the world a more livable place.
AI for education
AI also has the potential to address the global shortage of teachers and revolutionize education. “We’re going to educate our children and students for a much different future than we have before,” van de Weijer says. He envisions a world where AI takes over repetitive tasks, freeing humans to focus on more complex and creative work. “Take all the standard stuff, all the getting access to information that’s somewhere down on the internet. Why do we want this information in our heads when it’s already there? So better use our heads for other stuff,” he suggests.
The role of the teacher will also have to change fundamentally. “All the repetitive tasks will be replaced at first. Which we should not mind so much because new, more sensible jobs will come in their place,” he explains. This shift will improve the quality of education and address the global shortage of teachers.
AI’s impact on mobility and the automotive industry – another focus of the EAISI institute – is also an area where Van de Weijer sees significant potential. He believes that AI can help organize mobility and logistics more efficiently, and it plays a crucial role in developing autonomous vehicles. However, Van de Weijer’s vision for the future of automotive AI isn’t about creating driverless vehicles but rather about enhancing safety. “I think most accidents that happen in traffic could have been prevented with technology that’s already on the shelf. We have to improve that technology and get it into cars, trucks, trains, and everything to make them safer,” he says.
Enhance, not replace
Van de Weijer also sees potential for AI to increase productivity in the trucking industry. He envisions a moment where AI allows drivers to rest while their vehicle continues to operate, reducing the need for parked trucks and potentially doubling productivity. However, he believes there will always be a need for a human presence in these vehicles. “AI makes it easier, faster, maybe especially at night. But also, there probably will be a mixed system with the driver still there,” he explains. This vision of AI in the automotive industry underscores Van de Weijer’s belief that AI is a tool to enhance our human capabilities, not replace them.
Coloring inside the lines – and outside
As we prepare for an AI-dominated world, Van de Weijer advises focusing on skills that machines cannot replicate. “Let the machines do the coloring inside the lines, and let us take the parts outside those lines,” he says. This means focusing on creativity, flexibility, and the ability to interpret rules rather than strictly adhering to them. He believes that the future will require more mission-based leadership and the hiring of sensible people with the vision to go in the right direction.
The ethical implications of AI are significant. Like in 2019, when he referred to robots, Van de Weijer thinks humans can also act as the gods for modern AI machines. “We must establish a moral and ethical compass for these machines. We have to have some moral and ethical compass for them not to create enormous danger,” Van de Weijer warns. He likens this to the role of religion in society, providing a set of rules to follow for the betterment of society. “We have to become the gods of the machines of the future and then hope that they’re going to be more or less god-fearing,” he smiles.
Manage responsibly
AI holds immense potential to improve our lives and society. However, it is crucial to manage this technology responsibly, focusing on its positive aspects while mitigating potential risks. As we navigate this new era, we must remember that AI is a tool to enhance our human capabilities, not replace them. Van de Weijer remains positive: “AI is going to make us more human, not less.”
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