Major investment in artificial intelligence in countries around the world, along with the societal changes it causes, could lead to a surge in anti-technology extremism, an expert has warned.
Author and technology researcher Mauro Lubrano said that various issues brought about by AI development, such as job losses, might prompt anarchists and eco-terrorists to increase their attempts to make their message more public.
"They believe that technology is a system that is beyond reform and cannot be changed, therefore, it must be dismantled. And they believe the only way to dismantle is to try and accelerate its collapse," Mr Lubrano said on Monday during a discussion hosted by the George Washington University programme on extremism in Washington.
He said the potential for AI to disrupt labour, combined with other issues such as the burden it places on energy grids and the environment, means that elements of the far left and far right might be easily co-opted by groups with an extremist anti-technology agenda.
That could come in the form of violence and attacks against infrastructure, said Mr Lubrano, who wrote the book Stop the Machines: The Rise of Anti-Technology Extremism.
He warned that data centres, which have become a symbol of economic aspirations in parts of the world, could also become a target for extremist groups.
"Technology extremism is quite flexible," Mr Lubrano said, comparing it to the recent anti-vaccine movement. "There's also a Maoist interpretation of anti-technology, whereby they say, 'We need to retreat to the parts of the country' where technology is less strong, and sort of build up strength, build up momentum, and carry out an assault on the centre of technologies."
He said that while researching his book, learning about the groups emerging in the anti-technology extremist movement proved difficult because of their paranoia of anything remotely mainstream, but that paradoxically, because they use technology so much, he was able to gather ample source material.
"You will find their manuals online on how to take down technology and so on, and these extremists are completely aware of the irony and and they also provide justifications for it," he said.
Unlike other extremist movements, Mr Lubrano warned, the increasingly quickening pace of change could give anti-technology extremism significantly more staying power.
A recent poll from the Pew Research Centre showed an increasing chasm between experts and the general public in terms of enthusiasm for AI in the US.
Experts surveyed by Pew Research were significantly more likely - 56 per cent compared with 17 per cent - than the average American to say that AI would have a "very or somewhat positive" impact in society over the next 20 years.
Pew data also showed that 73 per cent of experts believed AI will have a positive impact on how people do their jobs, while only 23 per cent of the general public felt that way.
Mr Lubrano said that while many concerns about anti-technology extremism are legitimate and worth following up, those seeking to destroy the technological world will probably fail. He said history has shown those with “realist views” about technology, along with government interventions to regulate its impact, have always managed to succeed in winning over hearts and minds.
"We cannot get rid of technology but we can revisit the way that we interact with it to promote activities that foster a more meaningful relationship with one another and with nature," he said.
Mr Lubrano said there was no indication that law enforcement agencies are incapable of dealing with a rising anti-technology extremist threat.
Some level of violence, he said, will always be present "given the nature of many living in a democratic society", adding that "good intelligence" and "good law enforcement" have been able to disrupt similar threats in the past.
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
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Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
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2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
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2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Andor
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MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
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Al Wasl Football Club; six teams, five-a-side
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SRI LANKA SQUAD
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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CHELSEA'S NEXT FIVE GAMES
Mar 10: Norwich(A)
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Apr 2: Brentford(H)
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
MO
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THE SPECS
Touareg Highline
Engine: 3.0-litre, V6
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 340hp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh239,312
World ranking (at month’s end)
Jan - 257
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Currently: 88
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2016 - 279
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2014 - 143
2013 - 63
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2011 - 883
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Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse Of Madness'
Director: Sam Raimi
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stuhlbarg and Rachel McAdams
Rating: 3/5
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