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How AI is Reshaping Our Security and Privacy
Artificial Intelligence is one of the most important fields of technology today, and the effect it has on many different parts of our society is revolutionary. Although there are many positives to AI technology, it also introduces a new level of cybercrime and fraud, as criminals can use the tools AI brings for nefarious purposes. Across the world, we see crimes involving AI generated images, videos, and audio to trick people into giving money. For example, in February 2024, criminals were able to fake a video call with a finance worker for the company Arup, using AI to change their voices to sound like the CFO of Arup. Because of this, the hackers were able to steal 25 million dollars from the company.
AI and the Spread of Misinformation
AI has even had an impact on politics worldwide. In 2022, A fake video appeared to show Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky telling Ukrainian soldiers to surrender and stop fighting in the current war against Russia. Although this video was quickly disproved and it is unlikely that many believed it, AI in the future could be able to replicate these videos much better, and spread misinformation at an unprecedented scale. In the future, AI could be used by governments, political parties, and other important figures to gain an advantage and to spread false information.
AI, Surveillance, and Corporate Privacy Concerns
Privacy concerns around AI are prevalent as well. Large corporations such as Microsoft have been criticized for using AI to invade users' privacy. For example, A controversial feature by Microsoft was the AI-Powered “Recall” feature, a program that would take screenshots every five seconds to provide a “visual timeline”, using AI to find useful information in those screenshots. The backlash against the feature was almost immediate, and Microsoft changed it to an opt-in feature instead of a default one. This program also raises the issue of using AI to automatically detect certain information, and how this could be used against people. Although Microsoft claimed not to access or view the screenshots, it is still an unprecedented level of digital surveillance for the everyday person.
Global Cases and the Need for AI Regulation
Microsoft is not the only company guilty of invading users' data and privacy for its AI models. Last September, Meta admitted to scraping every Australian adult's Facebook account for photos and information to train its Llama AI model, without an opt-out option for Australian users. This information was released soon after the country promised a ban on social media apps for children, over concerns about the negative effects it may have. This revelation also led to multiple watchdog groups investigating other social media/AI companies, such as Google, which was investigated by the Irish Data Protection Committee for similar data protection problems. ChatGPT was temporarily banned last year by the Italian data protection regulator over concerns of data protection and privacy. These actions show how important regulation is over the data that different corporations collect and how they use that data, especially with training AI models.
Toward a Safer AI Future
Each of these events serves as a growing reminder of the threats of Artificial Intelligence and how this technology, if left unchecked, can cause harm across the globe. Most concerning, AI technology is still rapidly growing. In the near future, it may pose even greater risks from breaches in computer security to threats to individual privacy.
As AI systems become more advanced, they may blur the line between what is real and what is artificially generated, making it easier to deceive, manipulate, or even commit crimes. That’s why strong regulations are essential. Without them, AI could be used in increasingly malicious ways, spreading misinformation, violating privacy, or causing harm. To protect our future, we must act now, ensuring that AI is developed ethically, used responsibly, and guided by values that put people first.
Closing Note:
This blog is part of #OwnTheAlgorithm, iFp’s Emerging Innovators campaign to rethink how AI is built—and who it’s built for. We invite young people and the communities they’re part of to question AI systems, claim their role in its development, and build a future where AI reflects our values, not just profit.
Question it. Own it. Build it.
Sources
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/05/16/tech/arup-deepfake-scam-loss-hong-kong-intl-hnk/index.html
Biases in AI - Through the Eyes of an Emerging Innovator
The first form of artificial intelligence was created in 1955. AI has evolved and advanced significantly since then. When using AI, many people perceive it to be flawless and completely trustworthy. This false ideology has caused significant damage to society and will continue to harm people if we do not acknowledge its imperfections. The simple fact is that the majority of AI algorithms are built on detecting patterns that stem from societal biases. We should attempt to identify these biases and find solutions to combat them.
How do biases in AI occur?
Biases within AI can occur for a multitude of reasons. Firstly, the unfairness seen in AI is often a reflection of the internal biases of the creators of that AI. When developing an AI product, people sometimes unintentionally train the AI to mimic their personal preferences. For example, when trying to train a computer to recognize a shoe, you may train it to identify the specific type of shoe you imagine when thinking of a shoe. This may result in the computer disregarding all the other types of shoes that exist.
To combat this form of bias, people began shifting their focus to machine learning, where computers learn to respond by finding patterns within their database and past interactions with users. Although this may seem like a solution to bias, it is far from it. This is because people can never fully separate themselves from their biases. Biases are part of what makes us human.
Furthermore, the patterns that computers use in machine learning are often biased themselves. If 100 out of 100 people draw birds in the same way, the computer will recognize that birds look like that, which completely ignores the diversity of bird types that are not represented by the patterns.
Finally, biases can occur unintentionally due to human error when developing algorithms. Algorithms are a set of instructions given to a computer to help it perform tasks. If the data in an algorithm is not diverse and does not provide a wide range of possibilities, it may lead to the computer producing biased outputs. If we want the computer to output images of people, we must ensure that we input a wide variety of different people so that the computer does not see people in just one specific way.
How Does AI Bias Affect Us?
Biases within AI affect people in the world in a multitude of ways. The majority of ways that AI biases affect us are through the creation of stereotypes and systemic inequalities.
The harm caused by AI creating stereotypes is evident in the real world, such as when facial recognition software fails to accurately identify people of color or when a language system correlates a language with specific images of people, which may reinforce harmful stereotypes.
AI bias is even present in the healthcare field. Due to the underrepresentation of women and other minority groups within predictive AI algorithms, healthcare software, such as diagnostic systems, produces less accurate results for minority groups, such as Black patients, compared to White patients.
In advertising, studies show that Google Ads tend to associate high-paying jobs with men much more frequently than with women. A recurring theme with these issues is that they involve AI algorithms creating conclusions based on previously collected data patterns. The problem with this is that it leads to AI targeting a specific group while ignoring others.
The police force frequently uses artificial intelligence to help determine which communities need more police presence to keep them safe. AI identifies these areas using past crime data, which leads to AI creating its own biases and unfairly targeting certain neighborhoods over others. Because police constantly monitor the same neighborhoods, crime rates in other neighborhoods may rise. When AI systems rely solely on historical criminal data, they fail to recommend police presence in those areas when needed.
How to Combat AI Bias:
Although bias and unfairness in AI are serious and complicated dilemmas, there are ways that people can combat and hopefully overcome them.
Firstly, we must understand that AI is nothing without human creators. We determine how AI acts and functions. This means that we are also the reason why AI has biases within it. The first step in eliminating bias within AI should be to teach people about the damage caused by unfair biases. If we make people less biased and fairer, then surely the AI created will also have less bias.
Another approach is to address the flaws in machine learning. From the research above, the primary problem with machine learning is that it relies on previously collected data. This issue could be solved by frequently updating the data in an algorithm. This way, the AI will be more accurate and not make biased conclusions based on outdated data.
Finally, people should observe and monitor real-life patterns that are affected by AI. For example, if a company sees that its algorithm is recommending many more hiring resumes for men than women, the company should investigate why the AI is favoring men and fix the issue.
Conclusion:
Artificial intelligence is one of the most powerful tools at humanity’s disposal and will be used in almost everything in the future. Since it will be such an impactful component of everyone’s lives, we must ensure that we use it correctly and safely.
As we experiment more with AI, we are bound to encounter problems. It is our responsibility as AI creators to ensure that we program it in a way that does not harm others, and every group is equally represented in all aspects where AI is used.
Closing Note:
This blog is part of #OwnTheAlgorithm, iFp’s Emerging Innovators campaign to rethink how AI is built—and who it’s built for. We invite young people and the communities they’re part of to question AI systems, claim their role in its development, and build a future where AI reflects our values, not just profit.
Question it. Own it. Build it.
Works Cited
“Bias in AI.” Chapman University, https://www.chapman.edu/ai/bias-in-ai.aspx. Accessed 12 March 2025.
Holdsworth, James. “What Is AI Bias?” IBM, 22 December 2023, https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/ai-bias. Accessed 12 March 2025.
“AI Bias - What Is It and How to Avoid It?” Levity.ai, https://levity.ai/blog/ai-bias-how-to-avoid. Accessed 12 March 2025.
Missing Voices In AI
AI is slowly developing into a routine part of daily life, whether it is in the form of asking ChatGPT a question regarding your homework, or using an AI software to edit a video. AI is slowly but surely becoming a helpful assistant to daily life. However, in order for AI to be the most useful and beneficial tool it can possibly be, the idea of whose voices are heard and whose are not heard must be addressed. AI is already a reliable source for data, but with voices from all communities and populations, AI would have the potential to be an even more potent force in our society.
Consequences of Underrepresentation
The consequences of a lack of representation in AI are quite substantial, as AI is slowly but surely becoming the main source for many things in our society. As written in her article for Medium, Nicole Cacal states: “The divide in AI access often mirrors and amplifies existing socio-economic inequalities. For those with ample access, AI can be a gateway to enhanced personalization, efficiency, and opportunities. Yet, for underrepresented groups, the lack of access to AI technologies means not only missing out on these benefits but also potentially facing increased marginalization as AI becomes more ingrained in everyday life. This digital divide can lead to a cultural chasm where certain voices and experiences are underrepresented or misrepresented in AI-driven platforms and solutions.” (Cacal). Cacal states the inequalities that come with the increased divide of AI access between privileged and underprivileged groups, which proves to be a problem, especially since AI is becoming as popular and widespread as ever in the modern world. As she states, a digital divide can lead to a chasm of people who use AI to assist their daily lives while the AI is in a state of bias and unawareness, and those who have little to no access to AI at all. In order to live in a world where this chasm doesn’t exist, AI creation and development must feature all voices across a spectrum of communities and populations.
Exclusion in AI Policy
AI is on track to become a front for assisting in policy making in the near future, but in order to make that reality a place where equity strives, we must first allow the voices of all to be heard when creating AI for policy making. In his article for Politico.eu, Mark Scott talks about how the Global North dominates AI development and policy making. His article states: “Right now, these policy conversations — that are already dominated by corporate interests with little, if any, civil society buy-in — are almost exclusively the domain of the so-called Global North. Developing economies, despite their large populations and interest in AI, are getting left out.” (Scott). Many argue that the exclusion of developing economies from contributing to AI development is a significant issue. This exclusion arises because the Global North—comprising wealthier and more developed nations—dominates the creation and training of AI technologies. By relying heavily on data and input from these regions, AI systems end up reflecting the perspectives, values, and biases of the Global North, which leads to inaccurate or unfair outcomes for people in other parts of the world.
Toward Inclusive News and Media
As AI develops to become a resource for information and news, all voices must be involved in molding AI into a resource in order for it to be the most unbiased and realistic news platform possible for humans. This is so that AI can do something humans cannot, being unbiased. AI has the potential to help news outlets become more effective, both by implementing a more unbiased method of informing the people about the news, and also by creating articles and data based on recent news for people to see and use. But for this to come into fruition, AI development must become a hub where diversity and inclusion thrive first. Without this inclusion, AI has the potential to reinforce existing biases, rather than eliminating them. The goal should be for AI to function as a tool for fairness, presenting news and information in a way that is reflective of the full spectrum of human experiences and viewpoints.
The Path Forward
By prioritizing inclusivity in AI development, we can build a future where AI serves as a truly unbiased, efficient, and valuable resource, assisting in everything from policymaking to news dissemination. However, if AI development continues to spiral into a non-inclusive environment, AI will become a source for biased and unreliable information that seeks to benefit only a certain demographic of people. Prioritizing inclusivity is the first step AI developers can make in order for AI to truly become a great resource for all.
Closing Note:
This blog is part of #OwnTheAlgorithm, iFp’s Emerging Innovators campaign to rethink how AI is built—and who it’s built for. We invite young people and the communities they’re part of to question AI systems, claim their role in its development, and build a future where AI reflects our values, not just profit.
Question it. Own it. Build it.
Work Cited
Cacal, Nicole. “Unequal Access to AI and Its Cultural Implications.” Medium, 24 January 2024, https://medium.com/the-modern-scientist/unequal-access-to-ai-and-its-cultural-implications-0948a8042c91. Accessed 4 March 2025.
Scott, M. (2023, August 31). The Global South’s missing voice in AI. POLITICO. https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/digital-bridge/the-global-souths-missing-voice-in-ai/
Creativity Under Threat
Will AI be the Downfall of Human Creativity?
Will AI be the downfall of Human creativity? AI has become more accessible in recent years, and with this rise, there has been an ongoing debate about whether or not it’s threatening human creativity. Many people argue that AI could eventually overtake the creativity of human minds. This topic raises concerns over the credibility and originality of AI-generated content. In this post, we’ll take a look at the pros and cons of AI to better understand its impact on human creativity.
Pros of AI:
Enhanced Efficiency: AI can help creative industries such as art and music by speeding up production, allowing for more work to be done at a faster rate.
Idea Generation: AI assists artists by sparking new ideas and brainstorming concepts. While it doesn’t replace the artist’s role, it acts as a tool to complement the artist’s creativity.
Access to Information: AI makes it easier to access vast amounts of information and knowledge, broadening the creative process.
Issues with AI:
Diminished Creative Innovation: The risk of losing human ingenuity as we rely more on AI for creative processes.
Copyright and Ownership Issues: AI’s role in reproducing and potentially infringing on the intellectual property of creators.
Loss of Human Originality: As AI continues to take over creative tasks, human originality could diminish.
Over-reliance on AI: This could lead to people losing the necessary skills to create on their own material.
Similarity/Homogeneity: AI-generated content risks being too similar, reducing the diversity and innovation in artistic outputs.
Discrimination: AI models might create biases due to flawed training data.
Misuse of AI: AI tools can be misused, leading to unethical or harmful content.
Exploring the Positives of AI and Human Creativity:
Many people argue about the facts, truths, and lies of AI and whether the usage of it is ethical in terms of creativity, but as much about the positives of AI. Positives of AI: It increases people's ability to work more efficiently, helping them finish more work at a faster, constant rate. An article by tCognition on LinkedIn says that AI helps with speed and efficiency. The writer states, “The use of Generative AI allows creators to create work in a fraction of the time that it would normally take. AI reduces the time spent on repetitive tasks such as generating visual concepts and composing music. This allows creative teams to concentrate on improving their ideas.” As more creators use Generative AI, the more efficient and faster they will be able to complete their work.
Likewise, another article on the positives of AI states that it enhances people's ability to be more creative, contrary to the belief that AI reduces people's creativity. AI helps people be more creative because they can just add on to the ideas or create new connections between new concepts. The article states, “One of the most significant benefits of AI in creative industries is the enhancement of creativity and innovation. AI can recognize patterns, analyze volumes of data, and generate new and unique ideas that would otherwise not be immediately apparent to human creators.”
Primarily, AI does help with creativity if used properly because it can generate new ideas and connections with the massive amounts of data it's trained on. This could positively impact jobs by improving efficiency. It could also help workers create new connections between different ideas.
In an article posted on Bipartisan Policy Center by John Soroushian states,” AI often improves net worker productivity in the limited set of tasks studied. The studies we examined controlled for relevant factors and measured certain performance metrics for workers with AI tools relative to those without.” The article talks about the positives of using AI in the workforce and how it could help guide and excel creativity in jobs.
Exploring the Dangers of AI and Human Creativity:
Many people are raising concerns about the dangers of overreliance on AI in creative industries.
A post on Torc highlights the danger of becoming too dependent on AI: “An over-reliance on AI for creative inspiration and execution could lead to stagnation in human ingenuity. The unique perspectives and inventive ideas that characterize human creativity might be overshadowed as creators become increasingly dependent on AI solutions.” In other words, as creators lean more on AI, the risk of losing the rich variety that fuels cultural and artistic advancement becomes very real.
Similarly, a study by PMC (National Library of Medicine) warns that, "Skills that are not used tend to become degraded, following the exercise principle of ‘Use it or lose it.’ If generative AI does our creative work for us, we risk losing our creativity because we do not exercise it." The idea that relying on AI too heavily could lead to a loss of our natural creative abilities is a powerful point to consider.
Ahh Brainly, even though it may not be the most reliable source, one of its contributors expressed some good points. The person posts: “The reliance on technology as a crutch for creativity can lead to a loss of imagination and originality. Tools like digital design software, automated music composition programs, and AI-generated content may streamline the creative process, but they also homogenize artistic expression. As we become increasingly reliant on pre-programmed algorithms and templates, our ability to think outside the box and push the boundaries of creativity diminishes.” The writer makes a strong point about how algorithms and templates can limit creativity by restricting the creative process, preventing them from thinking outside the box.
The Counterpoint: Does AI Lack True Creativity?
Some experts argue that AI can’t replicate the depth of human creativity. Author Bruce Hale, for example, states that AI “lacks human experience and emotions. One of the essential qualities that makes a novel unique is the ability of the author to imbue it with their personal experience and emotions. A novel is not just a collection of robot words, but a reflection of the author’s life, thoughts, and experiences.” Hale’s perspective highlights that AI-generated content can’t tap into the human experience the way a person can. AI doesn’t have emotions or personal experiences to bring to a story or piece of art, which makes its creative output feel disconnected from real human life. It doesn't have the same true creativity that connects with the reader; unlike humans, AI is just some automated response that's generated through the user's input to deliver the user’s request.
Bruce Hale also points out, “AI cannot replicate human creativity. Creativity is not just about generating new ideas but also about connecting different ideas in innovative ways. Human beings have the ability to come up with unique combinations of ideas, which are not possible for AI to replicate.” This is an interesting insight because it suggests that human creativity isn’t solely about creating something new—it’s about incorporating existing ideas in ways that AI simply can’t mimic.
Dr. Netrice R. Gaskins is an African American digital artist, academic, cultural critic, and advocate of STEAM fields. In her work, she explores techno-vernacular creativity and Afrofuturism.” So far, she argues that anyone can use AI with the right tools to create art, but if they want a better product, they would need actual artists. In an article she wrote, Dr. Gaskins states, “The first time 'artist’s hand' was mentioned with AI art was back in 2019, when Wagner James Au interviewed me for his blog and it showed up on BoingBoing, a web aggregator. “Aaron_Hertzmann” worked for Adobe Research, and we were debating Deep Dream Generator, the tool I was using at the time to generate images. Hertzmann wrote, “They show the artist’s hand in making them fully realized.” Anybody with access can use the tool, but to get better output, artists are needed. Always.” Without an artist's input, art created by AI wouldn’t be as good or as sophisticated as an artist's work.
The Consequences of AI: Copyright and Ownership Issues
Another critical issue surrounding AI in creative industries is copyright and ownership. According to a Congressional Research Service document, AI systems are trained using massive amounts of data, including copyrighted material. This training process often involves making digital copies of existing works, which can raise questions about whether the usage of AI would be ethical if it infringes on the intellectual property rights of creators. The document states, “Creating such copies without permission may infringe the copyright holders’ exclusive right to make reproductions of their work.”
The document further discusses whether AI outputs could infringe copyright laws: “AI programs might also infringe copyright by generating outputs that resemble existing works.” The document also states, “AI programs might also infringe copyright by generating outputs that resemble existing works. Under U.S. case law, copyright owners may be able to show that such outputs infringe their copyrights if the AI program both (1) had access to their works and (2) created “substantially similar” outputs.” If AI has access to copyrighted content and generates something “considerably similar” to those works, there could be serious legal implications, especially as more people start to rely on AI to create art, music, and writing.
Conclusion: Is AI a Threat to Creativity?
So, where does this leave us? The research shows a repeating theme: over-reliance on AI is the real threat to human creativity. While AI can undoubtedly enhance productivity and spark new ideas, overusing it could lead to a loss of our natural creative abilities. The true danger lies in leaning too heavily on AI and allowing it to replace the processes that keep the creative muscles in our prefrontal cortex active. However, when used correctly and strategically, AI has the potential to enhance creativity and efficiency in ways that benefit the arts, rather than replace them.
Closing Note:
This blog is part of #OwnTheAlgorithm, iFp’s Emerging Innovators campaign to rethink how AI is built—and who it’s built for. We invite young people and the communities they’re part of to question AI systems, claim their role in its development, and build a future where AI reflects our values, not just profit.
Question it. Own it. Build it.