Brian Schutt: Navigating disruption: A balanced approach to AI

The rapid pace of technological advancements has always been a double-edged sword, with costs and benefits eliciting polarized responses reminiscent of the “Baptists and bootleggers” effect described in economics. This concept refers to seemingly opposite groups—those driven by moral concerns and those motivated by profit—advocating for the same outcome. When it comes to adopting new technology, the “Baptists” might tout the transformative potential, while the “bootleggers” caution about negative side effects.

Entrepreneur and venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, in his blog post “Why AI will save the world,” envisions an optimistic future shaped by AI. However, his view is not without caution. He calls for a balanced approach to tech adoption, asserting that we need to simultaneously embrace its potential and understand its risks.

To achieve such a balanced approach, history provides ample learning opportunities. In the early 19th century, the advent of the power loom threatened textile workers’ livelihoods, causing the Luddite rebellion. Protestors destroyed machinery in a misguided attempt to halt progress, not realizing that technological adoption would eventually create more jobs than it would displace. This represents an extreme, reactionary stance against technology. Even Socrates, in Plato’s Phaedrus, feared that the development of writing would make the written word a substitute for knowledge carried inside people’s heads.

On the other side of the spectrum, the unbridled enthusiasm that surrounded the dot-com boom in the late ’90s led to an economic bubble and subsequent crash. This overestimation of technology’s immediate potential had severe economic consequences.

So, while tradeoffs are inevitable as AI is adopted, how do we avoid repeating such historical overreactions, either for or against technology?

Adopt mindful usage: As end-users, it’s essential to be discerning about the technology we incorporate into our lives. This is perhaps the most important and highest impact area in moderating AI’s impact.

In a 2008 Atlantic article titled, “Is Google making us stupid?,” author Nicholas Carr observed, “Over the past few years I’ve had an uncomfortable sense that someone, or something, has been tinkering with my brain, remapping the neural circuitry, reprogramming the memory.”

In the intervening 15 years, digital consumption has grown in volume and further diminished in depth. Conscious usage is essential in moderating the psychological and relational impacts of AI.

Foster open dialogue: Technological discourse must extend beyond the binary narrative. Both the “Baptists” and “bootleggers” have valid points that deserve to be heard. Whether it’s AI, blockchain or any other disruptive technology, it’s vital to have balanced, informed discussions about their potential and pitfalls.

Promote ethical development and use: Technology developers need to focus on ethical considerations from the outset, integrating values like privacy and transparency into their design processes. Andreesen suggests that user data be encrypted in decentralized blockchain—estimating that this technology will be functional in the next two years.

Regulate responsibly: Policymakers will inherently be retroactive in approach, but businesses and regulators need to work together to develop forward-thinking law that safeguards public interest while still fostering innovation.

Our relationship with technology shouldn’t be a binary choice between utopia and dystopia. While new technologies like AI certainly present challenges, they also hold the potential to address significant global issues. By consciously cultivating a balanced approach to tech adoption, we can ensure that we harness this potential responsibly and equitably.•

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Schutt is co-founder of Homesense Heating & Cooling and Refinery46 and an American Enterprise Institute civic renewal fellow. Send comments to ibjedit@ibj.com.

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