It is clear that we are facing the rise of a new and profoundly disruptive technology. It’s not clear if this is going to be similar to other major disruptions or if this is unique. I’m not convinced anyone is able to honestly answer that by the way.

There has been a great deal written reacting to what people perceive the challenge to be, but I’m not aware of any broad, careful, reflective scholarly engagement happening at a rate that paces the accelerating technology of the frontier labs and the ways their products are being used.

There’s a call to arms (so to speak) directed to the academic community, posted on Techdirt’s blog; “Will Universities Respond To The AI Moment?”

The conclusion sums up the main idea rather neatly:

Universities have obligations to help support the societies in which they are embedded. Novel problems and possibilities presented by this AI moment undoubtedly call for substantial assistance from our educational institutions. The call has not been answered. In fact, many of the individuals best suited to assist universities at this time of public need are leaving. The public ought to demand more–from universities, from state and federal government officials, and from AI labs.

Universities can and should change their priorities and practices to better serve their external stakeholders. Different universities will adopt different approaches. Some will be more successful than others. This letter is meant to spark conversations that lead to tangible reforms,, not to advance a single best approach.

Much more here.

And, I think the same call to action needs to be made across the religious communities of the world as well. I know that there’s the beginning of conversations happening across mainline denominations and much more broadly in Catholicism. I hope that there is broader religious conversation planned – but I’m not hearing that it is. Perhaps one of you knows?

I’m pretty sure that we don’t have the luxury of time at this moment.