OpenAI CTO Mira Murati revisited her alma mater, Dartmouth College, for a stimulating discussion on the future of artificial intelligence and its impact on society. The event took place in Dartmouth’s new engineering building, where Murati, a Thayer School of Engineering graduate from 2012, tackled various topics, from her experiences at OpenAI to the ethical considerations surrounding large language models and precision health.
One particular statement by Murati sparked a debate both among attendees and online. When asked about the potential job displacement caused by AI, she remarked, “Some creative jobs may disappear, but perhaps they were unnecessary to begin with.”
While this comment seemed casual, it struck a sensitive nerve in a time of fast technological progress. The idea of AI taking over tasks traditionally done by humans, especially in the creative field, has raised concerns about job security and the future of work.
While acknowledging the possibility of job losses, Murati implied that certain creative roles might be inefficient or unnecessary, suggesting that AI eliminating them could be a positive change.
Despite recognizing the potential for job displacement, Murati emphasized the collaborative aspect of AI tools like ChatGPT and DALL-E. She mentioned how these technologies don’t replace human creativity but enhance and expand it, offering new avenues for artistic expression and problem-solving. “It’s a tool, right?” she said, “It can definitely expand our creativity as we collaborate with it.”
Murati also highlighted the democratizing effect of AI on creativity, making it more accessible to a wider range of individuals who lacked resources or training in the past. “You can learn and interact with different concepts in a more intuitive way,” she explained, “expanding your learning.”
The discussion at Dartmouth also delved into the ethical considerations of AI development. Murati stressed the need to carefully manage AI systems as their capabilities advance, advocating for a multi-stakeholder approach to regulation. She emphasized the role of organizations like OpenAI in driving research and proactively addressing potential risks associated with AI.
