Latest news with #BerggruenInstitute
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Stanford professor calls out the narrative of AI 'replacing' humans. Says, 'if AI takes away our dignity, something is wrong'
Not Just Tasks, But Human Worth You Might Also Like: Will the AI takeover spare politicians? Expert predicts 3 unexpected careers that could survive by 2045 From Lab to Life: Leading by Example A Shift in the Narrative In a world increasingly captivated by the power and promise of artificial intelligence , Dr. Fei-Fei Li—one of the most influential voices in global AI research—has made a poignant and powerful appeal: 'AI should never take away our dignity.' Speaking on a recent podcast hosted by the Berggruen Institute, the Stanford professor and former Google AI chief expressed concern over how society talks about technology, especially the use of the word 'replace.''It really, truly bothers me when people use the word 'replace' when it's connected to AI,' Li said during the conversation. 'I think we should really replace that word, and think about AI as augmenting or enhancing humans rather than replacing them.'Her words, both calm and firm, come at a time when industries around the globe are debating the future of jobs, creativity, and even decision-making amid the rise of machine intelligence. While she's no stranger to cutting-edge AI systems—being the creator of ImageNet, the dataset that helped launch the deep learning revolution—Li insists that AI must serve humanity, not displace it. Fei-Fei Li 's reflections on AI go beyond functionality and productivity. She warns of reducing human beings to a series of mechanical tasks that machines can outperform. 'Biologically, we run slower, walk slower, can't fly, can't lift as much, can't calculate as fast. But we are so much more than those narrow tasks,' she this broader sense of what it means to be human that drives her call for a more responsible and emotionally aware use of technology. 'Dignity is at the core of our being,' she said. 'Everybody needs to find their dignity and their value, and that should not be taken away by AI.'Her statement echoes the values at the heart of the Stanford Human-Centered AI Institute , which she co-directs, and AI4ALL, a nonprofit she co-founded to promote diversity and inclusion in the AI academia, Fei-Fei Li is walking the talk. In 2024, she co-founded World Labs , an AI startup developing spatial intelligence systems that seek to understand the three-dimensional physical world in a way that augments human capability. She recently raised $230 million for the venture, showing that technological innovation and ethical leadership can go was recently appointed to the United Nations Scientific Advisory Board and named one of TIME's 100 Most Influential People in AI. Her credentials include roles at Google Cloud, board directorship at Twitter, and a long list of accolades from top institutions such as Princeton and podcast message has struck a chord with many who feel uneasy about the unchecked acceleration of automation. Rather than succumb to fear or techno-optimism, Li offers a path grounded in empathy, shared values, and intentional design. 'If AI applications take away that sense of dignity,' she warns, 'there's something wrong.'As AI continues to reshape our world—from how we work to how we relate to each other—voices like Fei-Fei Li's remind us that progress must not come at the cost of our humanity. The challenge ahead, she suggests, is not only technical but moral: to build AI systems that enhance our potential without eclipsing our essence.
Economic Times
16-07-2025
- Science
- Economic Times
Stanford professor calls out the narrative of AI 'replacing' humans. Says, 'if AI takes away our dignity, something is wrong'
Synopsis Stanford AI expert Fei-Fei Li has voiced deep concerns over the narrative of AI 'replacing' humans. In a podcast with the Berggruen Institute, she emphasized that AI should augment human abilities, not undermine dignity. Drawing on her vast experience, she urged technologists to design systems that preserve human value rather than reduce people to mere tasks. Fei-Fei Li, renowned AI pioneer and Stanford professor, warns that AI must never strip humans of their dignity. Speaking on a podcast, she argued against the word 'replace' in AI discourse, advocating for tools that empower rather than displace. (Image: LinkedIn/ Fei Fei Li) In a world increasingly captivated by the power and promise of artificial intelligence, Dr. Fei-Fei Li—one of the most influential voices in global AI research—has made a poignant and powerful appeal: 'AI should never take away our dignity.' Speaking on a recent podcast hosted by the Berggruen Institute, the Stanford professor and former Google AI chief expressed concern over how society talks about technology, especially the use of the word 'replace.' 'It really, truly bothers me when people use the word 'replace' when it's connected to AI,' Li said during the conversation. 'I think we should really replace that word, and think about AI as augmenting or enhancing humans rather than replacing them.' Her words, both calm and firm, come at a time when industries around the globe are debating the future of jobs, creativity, and even decision-making amid the rise of machine intelligence. While she's no stranger to cutting-edge AI systems—being the creator of ImageNet, the dataset that helped launch the deep learning revolution—Li insists that AI must serve humanity, not displace it. Fei-Fei Li's reflections on AI go beyond functionality and productivity. She warns of reducing human beings to a series of mechanical tasks that machines can outperform. 'Biologically, we run slower, walk slower, can't fly, can't lift as much, can't calculate as fast. But we are so much more than those narrow tasks,' she explained. It's this broader sense of what it means to be human that drives her call for a more responsible and emotionally aware use of technology. 'Dignity is at the core of our being,' she said. 'Everybody needs to find their dignity and their value, and that should not be taken away by AI.' Her statement echoes the values at the heart of the Stanford Human-Centered AI Institute, which she co-directs, and AI4ALL, a nonprofit she co-founded to promote diversity and inclusion in the AI sector. Beyond academia, Fei-Fei Li is walking the talk. In 2024, she co-founded World Labs, an AI startup developing spatial intelligence systems that seek to understand the three-dimensional physical world in a way that augments human capability. She recently raised $230 million for the venture, showing that technological innovation and ethical leadership can go hand-in-hand. Li was recently appointed to the United Nations Scientific Advisory Board and named one of TIME's 100 Most Influential People in AI. Her credentials include roles at Google Cloud, board directorship at Twitter, and a long list of accolades from top institutions such as Princeton and Caltech. Her podcast message has struck a chord with many who feel uneasy about the unchecked acceleration of automation. Rather than succumb to fear or techno-optimism, Li offers a path grounded in empathy, shared values, and intentional design. 'If AI applications take away that sense of dignity,' she warns, 'there's something wrong.' As AI continues to reshape our world—from how we work to how we relate to each other—voices like Fei-Fei Li's remind us that progress must not come at the cost of our humanity. The challenge ahead, she suggests, is not only technical but moral: to build AI systems that enhance our potential without eclipsing our essence.
Winnipeg Free Press
25-04-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Australia needs a complex economy ‘to ensure future growth and reduce vulnerability to foreign powers,' report says
Los Angeles (DNA) – Australia boasts some of the world's most sophisticated political institutions and one of its wealthiest economies. But a 'ticking time bomb' of overreliance on extractive industries must be addressed under Australia's next government, a new report recommends. The country's current development is resulting in 'rising political polarization, deepening inequality and heightening exposure to the deeper geopolitical tensions emerging between the U.S. and China,' according to an Australia BGI Report on the country's governance performance, released eight days before the May 3 election. Based on the Berggruen Governance Index (BGI), the report was conducted by researchers from the Los Angeles-based Berggruen Institute think tank, the Luskin School of Public Affairs at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and the Hertie School, a German university. According to the report, Australia has long benefited from favourable economic, geopolitical and demographic conditions, scoring highly on almost all governance measures in the BGI. But cracks are starting to show. Eroding public trust in government is providing 'the backdrop for a hotly contested federal election,' during which the centre-left Labor Party is seeking to defend its majority against the centre-right Liberals. While the Labor Party was previously projected to lose after a lacklustre post-pandemic economic recovery, it has recently risen in the polls — a reversal mirroring a similar trend in Canada, in which U.S. President Donald Trump has amplified negative associations with conservatism. Now, the Australian Labor Party is projected to win by a slim margin. However, the stresses that have plagued the Labor Party 'will persist regardless of who prevails in May,' said the Australia BGI Report. Despite ranking 9th globally in GDP per capita, Australia ranks only 99th worldwide in the Economic Complexity Index (ECI). 'Its reliance on extractive industries has reduced the incentive to diversify and weakened other parts of the economy,' said the report. Iron ore, coal, petroleum, gold, and other minerals comprise the five largest products sold abroad, accounting for more than half of all exports. Instead of moving away from this reliance, 'Australia has in many ways doubled down.' And one of its biggest customers is China. During Elections Get campaign news, insight, analysis and commentary delivered to your inbox during Canada's 2025 election. While Australia is increasingly economically dependent on China, it's also long relied on the U.S. security guarantee. In the context of a growing U.S.-China rivalry, this puts Australia in a precarious position. Only with a more complex economy, the report said, 'can Australia ensure future growth and reduce vulnerability to foreign powers like China and the U.S.' ———————————————- This text and the accompanying material (photos and graphics) are an offer from the Democracy News Alliance, a close co-operation between Agence France-Presse (AFP, France), Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata (ANSA, Italy), The Canadian Press (CP, Canada), Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa, Germany) and PA Media (PA, UK). All recipients can use this material without the need for a separate subscription agreement with one or more of the participating agencies. This includes the recipient's right to publish the material in own products. The DNA content is an independent journalistic service that operates separately from the other services of the participating agencies. It is produced by editorial units that are not involved in the production of the agencies' main news services. Nevertheless, the editorial standards of the agencies and their assurance of completely independent, impartial and unbiased reporting also apply here.
Associated Press
25-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Australia's next government must mend structural cracks appearing in its political, economic and social foundation, report finds
Australia boasts some of the world's most sophisticated political institutions and one of its wealthiest economies. But this veneer of success masks deeper structural issues - and a 'ticking time bomb' of overreliance on extractive industries must be addressed under Australia's next government, a new report recommends. Cracks have begun to show in the country's façade of optimism, prosperity and progress, according to anAustralia BGI Reporton the country's governance performance, released eight days before the May 3 election. According to the report, the country's economy continues to rely heavily on environmentally harmful extractive industries, while economic centralization in only a handful of cities has driven up housing costs. Racial tensions, including the displacement of Indigenous populations, remain unresolved. This is resulting in 'rising political polarization, deepening inequality and heightening exposure to the deeper geopolitical tensions emerging between the U.S. and China,' said the report. Based on theBerggruen Governance Index(BGI), the report was conducted by researchers from the Los Angeles-based Berggruen Institute think tank, the Luskin School of Public Affairs at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and the Hertie School, a German university. According to the report, Australia has long benefited from favourable economic, geopolitical and demographic conditions. Its cities are ranked as some of the most livable in the world and it scores highly on almost all governance measures in the BGI, which analyzes the relationship between democratic accountability, state capacity and the provision of public goods. But the country isn't exempt from the same challenges to democracy, prosperity, and social cohesion that similar countries are facing, according to the report. Eroding public trust in government is providing 'the backdrop for a hotly contested federal election,' during which the centre-left Labor Party under Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is seeking to defend its majority against Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and the centre-right Liberals. While the Labor Party was previously projected to lose after a lacklustre post-pandemic economic recovery, it has recently risen in the polls - a reversal mirroring a similar trend in Canada, in which U.S. President Donald Trump has amplified negative associations with conservatism. Now, the Australian Labor Party is projected to win by a slim margin. Another factor influencing the election is rental affordability, which reached its worst level on record in 2025,according to the REA Group, a company in the real estate industry. This trend is pushing younger voters toward the Australian Green Party, which has made reform on the housing market a central part of its policy agenda, the Australia BGI Report said. However, in the 2022 election, 12 per cent of the national vote translated into just 2.5 per cent of seats for the Greens - a pattern that 'could repeat itself in 2025 due to the country's preferential voting system.' Australia's electoral system uses a preferential voting system rather than the 'first-past-the-post' method common in many other Anglophone democracies, which conceals a 'darker history of Indigenous dispossession and racial discrimination.' It's also one of only 22 countries in the world that require citizens to vote. However, the stresses that have plagued Albanese's government 'will persist regardless of who prevails in May,' said the BGI report. Australia generally resembles wealthy Western European and North American countries on the 2024 Berggruen Governance Index, scoring highly on democratic accountability. It's ranked as one of only 25 'full democracies' by the Economist Intelligence Unit. But, despite ranking 9th globally in GDP per capita, Australia ranks only 99th worldwide in the Economic Complexity Index (ECI). 'Although Australia is blessed with bountiful natural resources, its political economy is also constrained by this very endowment,' said the Australia BGI Report. 'Its reliance on extractive industries has reduced the incentive to diversify and weakened other parts of the economy.' Iron ore, coal, petroleum, gold, and other minerals comprise the five largest products sold abroad, accounting for more than half of all exports. Instead of moving away from this reliance, 'Australia has in many ways doubled down,' said the report. Australia is the world's largest coal exporter and accounts for more than half of the world's lithium, with most of it going to China for battery manufacturing. Therein lies another issue. While Australia is increasingly economically dependent on China, it has also long relied on the U.S. security guarantee. In the context of a growing U.S.-China rivalry, this puts Australia in a precarious position, said the report, being 'economically tethered to one superpower, while militarily aligned with another.' To move past these problems, Australia will have to 'leverage its impressive state capacity and strong educational system to develop a more advanced services sector and more complex manufacturing,' said the Australia BGI Report. The next government will need to focus on the 'domestic essentials of growth' such as housing market reforms, as well as building economic complexity, to ensure internal and external stability, the report's researchers conclude. Only with a more complex economy 'can Australia ensure future growth and reduce vulnerability to foreign powers like China and the U.S.' ---------------------------------------------- This text and the accompanying material (photos and graphics) are an offer from the Democracy News Alliance, a close co-operation between Agence France-Presse (AFP, France), Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata (ANSA, Italy), The Canadian Press (CP, Canada), Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa, Germany) and PA Media (PA, UK). All recipients can use this material without the need for a separate subscription agreement with one or more of the participating agencies. This includes the recipient's right to publish the material in own products.
Winnipeg Free Press
24-04-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Australia's next government must mend structural cracks appearing in its political, economic and social foundation, report finds
Los Angeles/DNA – Australia boasts some of the world's most sophisticated political institutions and one of its wealthiest economies. But this veneer of success masks deeper structural issues — and a 'ticking time bomb' of overreliance on extractive industries must be addressed under Australia's next government, a new report recommends. Cracks have begun to show in the country's façade of optimism, prosperity and progress, according to an Australia BGI Report on the country's governance performance, released eight days before the May 3 election. According to the report, the country's economy continues to rely heavily on environmentally harmful extractive industries, while economic centralization in only a handful of cities has driven up housing costs. Racial tensions, including the displacement of Indigenous populations, remain unresolved. This is resulting in 'rising political polarization, deepening inequality and heightening exposure to the deeper geopolitical tensions emerging between the U.S. and China,' said the report. Based on the Berggruen Governance Index (BGI), the report was conducted by researchers from the Los Angeles-based Berggruen Institute think tank, the Luskin School of Public Affairs at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and the Hertie School, a German university. According to the report, Australia has long benefited from favourable economic, geopolitical and demographic conditions. Its cities are ranked as some of the most livable in the world and it scores highly on almost all governance measures in the BGI, which analyzes the relationship between democratic accountability, state capacity and the provision of public goods. But the country isn't exempt from the same challenges to democracy, prosperity and social cohesion that similar countries are facing, according to the report. Eroding public trust in government is providing 'the backdrop for a hotly contested federal election,' during which the centre-left Labor Party under Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is seeking to defend its majority against Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and the centre-right Liberals. While the Labor Party was previously projected to lose after a lacklustre post-pandemic economic recovery, it has recently risen in the polls — a reversal mirroring a similar trend in Canada, in which U.S. President Donald Trump has amplified negative associations with conservatism. Now, the Australian Labor Party is projected to win by a slim margin. Another factor influencing the election is rental affordability, which reached its worst level on record in 2025, according to the REA Group, a company in the real estate industry. This trend is pushing younger voters toward the Australian Green Party, which has made reform on the housing market a central part of its policy agenda, the Australia BGI Report said. However, in the 2022 election, 12 per cent of the national vote translated into just 2.5 per cent of seats for the Greens — a pattern that 'could repeat itself in 2025 due to the country's preferential voting system.' Australia's electoral system uses a preferential voting system rather than the 'first-past-the-post' method common in many other Anglophone democracies, which conceals a 'darker history of Indigenous dispossession and racial discrimination.' It's also one of only 22 countries in the world that require citizens to vote. However, the stresses that have plagued Albanese's government 'will persist regardless of who prevails in May,' said the BGI report. Australia generally resembles wealthy Western European and North American countries on the 2024 Berggruen Governance Index, scoring highly on democratic accountability. It's ranked as one of only 25 'full democracies' by the Economist Intelligence Unit. But, despite ranking 9th globally in GDP per capita, Australia ranks only 99th worldwide in the Economic Complexity Index (ECI). 'Although Australia is blessed with bountiful natural resources, its political economy is also constrained by this very endowment,' said the Australia BGI Report. 'Its reliance on extractive industries has reduced the incentive to diversify and weakened other parts of the economy.' Iron ore, coal, petroleum, gold and other minerals comprise the five largest products sold abroad, accounting for more than half of all exports. Instead of moving away from this reliance, 'Australia has in many ways doubled down,' said the report. Australia is the world's largest coal exporter and accounts for more than half of the world's lithium, with most of it going to China for battery manufacturing. Therein lies another issue. While Australia is increasingly economically dependent on China, it's also long relied on the U.S. security guarantee. In the context of a growing U.S.-China rivalry, this puts Australia in a precarious position, said the report, being 'economically tethered to one superpower, while militarily aligned with another.' During Elections Get campaign news, insight, analysis and commentary delivered to your inbox during Canada's 2025 election. To move past these problems, Australia will have to 'leverage its impressive state capacity and strong educational system to develop a more advanced services sector and more complex manufacturing,' said the Australia BGI Report. The next government will need to focus on the 'domestic essentials of growth' such as housing market reforms, as well as building economic complexity, to ensure internal and external stability, the report's researchers conclude. Only with a more complex economy 'can Australia ensure future growth and reduce vulnerability to foreign powers like China and the U.S.' ———————————————- This text and the accompanying material (photos and graphics) are an offer from the Democracy News Alliance, a close co-operation between Agence France-Presse (AFP, France), Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata (ANSA, Italy), The Canadian Press (CP, Canada), Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa, Germany) and PA Media (PA, UK). All recipients can use this material without the need for a separate subscription agreement with one or more of the participating agencies. This includes the recipient's right to publish the material in own products. The DNA content is an independent journalistic service that operates separately from the other services of the participating agencies. It is produced by editorial units that are not involved in the production of the agencies' main news services. Nevertheless, the editorial standards of the agencies and their assurance of completely independent, impartial and unbiased reporting also apply here.
