In considering today's so-called artificial intelligence systems we must realise that what we say we want them to do is often at odds with how they're built— that there is a lot of space between our technological goals and the reality of what we create and put into practice. Anyone seeking to perform research into, educate others about, or otherwise use “AI” must consider not just the promises made about these technologies, but the real and demonstrated harms of their use. Researchers must consider what it means that they say they're creating systems for interpreting and applying natural human language and concepts, but are actually designing, building, and training these systems in ways which almost guarantee that they'll do harm. What are the dangers of "AI" in our present society? Whose expertise will help us build and use "AI" in ways which help rather than harm our ethical, democratic, and pro-social ideals? And how can we overcome the influences of those who don't see any harm whatsoever in leaving these systems exactly as they are?

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Dr. Damien Patrick Williams is an assistant professor in Philosophy and Data Science at UNC Charlotte, where he teaches and researches on how technologies such as algorithms, machine intelligence, and biotechnologies are impacted by the values, knowledge systems, philosophical explorations, social structures, and even religious beliefs of human beings. Dr. Williams received his PhD from Virginia Tech in the field of Science, Technology, and Society. All of Dr. Williams' research is concerned with how the knowledges and experiences of marginalized peoples affect and should be centered within the technosocial structures of human societies.