About
Overview
His research interests focus on the regulation of risk, the roles of politics within science, and of science within politics. He has presented his work at more than one hundred scholarly panels and conferences. In addition to a dozen book chapters Dr. Barke has published in Risk Analysis; Minerva; Social Science Quarterly; Policy Studies Journal; Science, Technology, and Human Values; and Public Choice and is the author of Science, Technology, and Public Policy (CQ Press) and co-author of Governing the American Republic (St. Martin’s). Among his awards are Georgia Tech’s Outstanding Service Award, the IAC Faculty Legacy Award, ANAK Faculty of the Year, and the Georgia Tech Student Government Association Faculty of the Year Award (twice). He teaches courses on political processes, intergenerational policy, ethics and risk, and regulatory policy, and has team-taught courses with faculty from all six colleges at Georgia Tech. His current work is on long-term policy-making.
- M.A. and Ph.D., University of Rochester, Political Science
- B.S., Georgia Institute of Technology, Physics
Source: GT webpage
Web Links
ITDF Essay, November 2023
AI is probably far too powerful to restrain or direct
The forward momentum of AI is probably far too powerful to restrain or direct
“The past few years have seen a distinct decline in the trust that citizens have in their institutions – political, business, educational, etc. Fake news and skepticism about science, expertise and higher education already have eroded the confidence that many have in government, universities and the private sector. Even without advances in AI, that trend is very threatening.
“According to a 2023 Gallup survey, only small business and the military rate more than 50% confidence. Fewer than 20% of Americans have confidence in newspapers, the criminal justice system, television news, big business or Congress. All of these are easy targets for AI-related cynicism. The potential for AI to greatly accelerate the decline in trust is already obvious. Markets, schools, and civic culture all depend on trust, and once it is perceived to be gone it is extremely difficult to recover.
Transparency is essential but it will always be imperfect; the expected benefits to those who are fastest, regardless of their impact on society, are too great. Within two months of its launch ChatGPT was estimated to already have more than 100 million active users. Google Bard was forecast to surpass 1 billion users by the end of 2023. The forward momentum probably is far too powerful to restrain or direct.
“The advances that AI will enable will be viewed through a filter of suspicion and fear, encouraged by news and entertainment media, and reassurances about the risks of AI will be viewed with skepticism, especially after the occurrence of several dramatic scandals or unfortunate incidents involving typical citizens.
“Efforts to corral the development and applications of the technology through self-regulation by the IT sector or by government regulation are laudable but it is unlikely that the pace of oversight can keep up with technological advances.
“Transparency is essential but it will always be imperfect; the expected benefits to those who are fastest, regardless of their impact on society, are too great. Within two months of its launch ChatGPT was estimated to already have more than 100 million active users. Google Bard was forecast to surpass 1 billion users by the end of 2023. The forward momentum probably is far too powerful to restrain or direct.”
This essay was written in November 2023 in reply to the question: Considering likely changes due to the proliferation of AI in individuals’ lives and in social, economic and political systems, how will life have changed by 2040? This and more than 150 additional essay responses are included in the report “The Impact of Artificial Intelligence by 2040”
