Head of the Department of Global Legal Studies and Professor of Law at the Faculty of Law (FLL) of the University of Macau (UM) Rostam J. Neuwirth talked to The Macau Post Daily yesterday on how one can protect themselves from subliminal artificial intelligence (AI).
Neuwirth made the remarks yesterday after a France Macau Chamber of Commerce (FMCC) Breakfast Meeting at Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16, where he gave a talk on the history of subliminal AI perception, AI regulation within the European Union (EU), and the future of law and society.
The Cambridge Dictionary defines subliminal as “not recognised or understood by the conscious mind, but still having an influence on it”. The use of AI, an FMCC statement said, with other innovative technologies offers unprecedented opportunities to all facets of life, but the technologies can raise ethical concerns, particularly in “the context of the manipulation of the human mind and behaviour”.
With a growing amount of literature about the topic available, Neuwirth recommended reading more about the issue, noting that he learnt a lot through doing research on the legal questions involved, and also looked at various disciplines and the necessary technology. Moreover, scholars and interested citizens, he added, should look at different disciplines, which could also enable them to view the same problem from different angles. It could also be important to discuss the topic on a school level, Neuwirth said.
Moreover, Neuwirth pointed out that although a law regulating AI has not yet been enacted in the EU as it is still being discussed, it was important to have such a law in place as if there is no law regulating the matter, the incentive for many AI developers to “tie in” the consumers and manipulate them would be even more tempting.
Such a law was needed at this level to raise awareness, he noted, which could already achieve something. Neuwirth pointed out that lawmakers around the world, as well as international organisations, should promote this debate, which although it is happening more, was still not enough, especially as the issue of subliminal AI is still novel.
Prof. Rostam J. Neuwirth gives a talk during the France Macau Chamber of Commerce (FMCC) Breakfast Meeting at Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16.
Photo: Rui Pastorin
