AI Avatars: Coaches for humanity, or oppressive overlords?

Author

Hubert Rhomberg
June 07, 2024

Good morning, pioneers!

Here’s what I’ve got for you this month:

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AI

AI Avatars: Coaches for humanity, or oppressive overlords?

We’ve run into a paradox: humans, with all our brilliance, are also the architects of the world’s most pressing problems: 

  • Climate change

  • Social inequity

  • Systemic corruption

All stem from human flaws. 

But what if we could design a version of ourselves that only embodied our best traits?

What if we let AI decide?

I've been involved with an ambitious project called CosmiQ Universe, which aims to create AI avatars trained on the values of human ethics and loving, community-centered individuals. 

So far, we’ve created two.

They have 590K+ followers on social media combined. They have their own identity and have grown into virtual celebrities, keynote speakers for human good. 

They:

  • Open conferences and events

  • Co-create activities and campaigns

  • Spearhead global messaging with business people, musicians, artists, technologists, producers, psychologists, and sustainability leaders and many more 

Together, they’ve gained 800M impressions in the media. 

The idea behind these AI avatars is simple: teach them to embody only the good traits that our world desperately needs and share them with the world. 

They are ambassadors representing a human collective vision trained to represent the best of humanity—empathy, compassion, fairness, and a deep care for the planet. 

Unbiased by human emotion, corporate greed, addiction, or any other of our many vices.

A clear mind that prioritizes the well-being of people and the planet over profit and power.

What if we gave them decision-making power?

In business, they could:

  • Push for sustainable practices and values

  • Ensure fair treatment for all employees, and 

  • Prioritize long-term benefits over short-term gains

In fact, Aya and Leya have already been offered Board seats and chatbot integrations by different initiatives (try the Leya Love chatbot yourself ).

They’ve been asked to advise leading corporates like BCG and Volkswagen, as well as technology conferences and the Global Youth Summit.  

Imagine what they could do in government…💭

In many ways, we’re our own worst enemies. 

We are conditioned by our parents, belief systems and society. Our emotions, biases, fears, and conflicting interests often lead to decisions that harm us collectively. 

Maybe one of the smartest things we can do for ourselves is give some decision-making power away. 

Like someone who wants to lose weight does with a coach.

We might save ourselves from… well, ourselves. 

AI can bypass the “human-ego-fuckup-factor” that often destroys the best solution for all participants in a crisis. 

But when do guardrails become oppressive?

If we give decision-making power to AI avatars, how can we trust them?

At the end of the day, we don't fully understand their decision-making processes. 

We can train them on the best human values, but there’s still a scary black box.

And we don’t know what happens in it (I guess the same can be said for humans). 

How do we know that the actions of our AI avatars will always align with the ethical standards we aspire to?

Could they be manipulated or corrupted? 

Could AI hallucinations become destructive or fatal?

Queue: The Matrix.

The future of AI governance

The integration of AI in governance is a concept that will become increasingly relevant.

Technology has always been a mirror of society and the individual. AI is like a child, and the world is training it. It’s our job to take responsibility for who we are and what reality we create on this planet.

I don’t believe AI should replace human accountability. The point isn’t to pass the reins, put the world on auto-pilot, and run out the clock playing golf.

Humanity should continue to improve even as we develop these technologies. 

AI shouldn’t replace us, it should complement our efforts to build a better world.

CONSTRUCTION

Not Building 0.0

I’ve been writing a book called Not Building 0.0.

It's based on my 20 years of experience working in the construction industry and my tireless pursuit of trying to decouple resource consumption from growth.

I’ve concluded that there is no such thing as sustainable growth. 

Especially in construction.

❝

The only way to build sustainably is by not building.

I don’t think we will ever stop building completely. But at least we can do it better.

We can have better rules in place that benefit people and the planet rather than corporate growth.

One idea I outline is a 4-step filter that needs to be passed before any new construction on greenfield property can happen.

And I can’t write this alone.

If this book will represent our shared interests, then it needs to be guided and written by more people than me.

The book will be a living document. Revised every year based on new knowledge we gain.

It will be the most sophisticated book in the industry because it will be created by the community.

I want your feedback.

I need your input.

Get involved by sending me your thoughts, examples, or obstacles that I may not have even considered 👉 [email protected]

3 things that I loved this month

That’s it for today’s edition!

Next month, I’m going to talk about how I’m creating an AI avatar of myself to run CREE for me…

…and possibly join the Board of other innovative construction companies.

More on that in the next issue.

Cheers from Australia!

Hubert

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