Seriescoldeweytechcrunch of artificial intelligence, many sectors around the world are reshaping themselves to accommodate new technology. In addition, technology is also requiring new skills. Only one in four employers think they have a good handle on what skills they will need in the future. However, there are tools available to help companies address this risky deployment. Among these are Confluent, which uses an open source streaming data project called Apache Kafka. It recently raised a $125 million Series D led by Sequoia Capital. It has 120 full-time employees and services 25% of Fortune 50 companies.
During her time as an art historian at the University of Chicago, Namita Gupta Wiggers was able to get the itch to go beyond the traditional art history curriculum. She was fortunate enough to find a research assistantship with a couple of renowned anthropologists. In 2010, Wiggers coined the term “craftscape”, which refers to social objects with histories and narratives. These include such items as vases, statues, and textiles. Wiggers isn’t concerned with whether these objects actually qualify as art or craft, but rather, whether they are more art or less.
As a student, Wiggers did well, especially in her art history classes. She also managed to secure the same research assistantship for a couple of years, which helped her hone her research skills. She also took art history classes outside the department, and eventually, she earned a degree in art history. Wiggers’ research focuses on anthropological aesthetics of everyday life, particularly those of South Asian immigrants to the US.
Despite the excitement surrounding artificial intelligence, ethics issues remain a significant political concern. In the past, authoritarian governments have used technology to imprison innocent people and attack judges. Some argue that the use of AI technologies unfairly target minorities One way to combat ethical dilemmas related to AI is through procedural mechanisms. Companies should have a formal code of ethics that describes how they conduct AI-related activities They should also set up internal AI review boards, which should include a diverse cross-section of the firm’s stakeholders.
