[liberationtech] OpenAI adds Trump-appointed former NSA director to its board
Richard Brooks
rrb at g.clemson.edu
Mon Jun 24 20:44:27 CEST 2024
I think the real problem is that the tech billionaires,
the wealthiest people on Earth, have convinced themselves
that bringing about the apocalypse is the endgame that
they want for the future:
https://www.cnn.com/style/article/doomsday-luxury-bunkers/index.html
https://www.harvard.com/book/the_end_of_reality/
Since politics has devolved into a competition for money.
This is the future that is seeming more and more
inevitable.
No one else wants this, but tech billionaires currently
control the means of communication. You end up with a
chicken and egg problem.
If there were a way of communicating that was not controlled
by these companies, you could coordinate to stop this.
For the moment, the EU is the only bright spot. But with
neo-fascists gaining power there, it is hard to say how
long that will last.
On 6/23/24 22:36, Kate Krauss wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Thank you for posting this article! I think it's one of the first "what
> should actually happen" pieces that have appeared on this list in a
> long time. It looks forward, it makes a plan! However, without more
> political power, I don't see how digital rights advocates can build the
> structures you are suggesting. And I don't--yet--see where that power
> can come from.
>
> What I see at the moment is civil society (despite many brilliant people
> and groups working on these issues) seeming to lose political and
> cultural power around issues of internet governance and accountability.
> For instance, Stanford University has stopped supporting the Stanford
> Internet Observatory. Here's a good interview with Renée DiResta, a
> former researcher there, on Hard Fork
> <https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/21/podcasts/surgeon-general-warning.html>, where she tells that story.
>
> Also: If there's no transparency, there can be no accountability.
> Because not every company is 100% honest.
> For instance:
> <https://www.macstories.net/stories/wired-confirms-perplexity-is-bypassing-efforts-by-websites-to-block-its-web-crawler/>
>
> /A WIRED analysis and one
> <https://rknight.me/blog/perplexity-ai-is-lying-about-its-user-agent/> carried out by developer Robb Knight suggest that Perplexity is able to [scrape websites, like Condé Nast sites, that it says it won't] partly through apparently ignoring a widely accepted web standard known as the Robots Exclusion Protocol to surreptitiously scrape areas of websites that operators do not want accessed by bots, despite claiming <https://docs.perplexity.ai/docs/perplexitybot> that it won’t. WIRED observed a machine tied to Perplexity—more specifically, one on an Amazon server and almost certainly operated by Perplexity—doing this on wired.com <http://wired.com> and across other Condé Nast publications./
>
> I'm still thinking about this. What are the channels, the tools, the
> levers of power available to civil society? How can a private company be
> held accountable when no laws exist (maybe?) to make it so?
>
> Thanks again, Lina,
>
> Kate
>
> On Wed, Jun 19, 2024 at 5:29 PM Lina Srivastava
> <lina at transformationalchange.co <mailto:lina at transformationalchange.co>>
> wrote:
>
> Hi all,
> Thanks for the discussion. A few months ago I wrote a piece for SSIR
> <https://ssir.org/articles/entry/ai-building-community-governance#>
> advocating for civil society funders and orgs to address tech co
> power consolidation through community-led governance. This speaks to
> accountability more broadly than to specifics of the
> technology/algorithms, so I'm not sure if this directly answers your
> questions, Kate, but sending it in case it is of interest.
>
> Lina
>
>
>
> On Tue, Jun 18, 2024 at 11:29 PM Paola Di Maio
> <paoladimaio10 at gmail.com <mailto:paoladimaio10 at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
> Kate
> thanks for bringing up the questions, which make sense
> But technically, they may be */'ill posed' /*(imho)
> That is because there is a mixup and overlap in
> terminology/concepts/implementations adopting the same
> terminology applied to different concepts etc
>
> All algorithms are in principle auditable even when they are
> proprietary, and the only way companies can maintain their
> competitive advantage is by keeping he algorithms proprietary,
> or de facto, a trade secret
> You cannot make any laws against trade secrets afaik
> Some of these algorithms are useful and amazing even, technically
> but for example, I started to notice that when I leave a
> whatsapp message to someone
> the content of my message is picked and turns up into the
> adveritisng on FB and in turn
> via some agreement that I may not know about, it turns up in
> adverts on youtube, google search etc
>
> To what extent are the search results that I obtain skewed based
> on my user profile, which is in turn based on my login
> credentials, which is in turn based on the apps/web services
> that i use?
> I would say it's a lot skewed. how so? by a mixture of
> algorithms , commercial agreements, trade secrets which are all
> legal
>
> I think one face of the blockchain may be to disrupt this
> entanglement by encryptions and fragmentation
> but the reality, is that the master key is only visible to some,
> and THEY are building the machine, in the name of
> democratization of the internet, go figure
>
> My advice would be, start auditing individual functions
> (input-process-output) for each task/app
> then build the map of the ecosystem entanglement from there,
> keeping in mind that by means of generative algorithm
> the map is constantly reconfiguring itself, and not traceable (a
> property of the blockchain, auch)
> and NOT REPLICABLE (a property of generative algos)
>
> Very very thorny entanglement, the best we can do is to stay on
> top of things
> (scratching head)
>
>
>
> On Wed, Jun 19, 2024 at 4:52 AM Kate Krauss <katiephr at gmail.com
> <mailto:katiephr at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> I'm trying to understand the lay of the land.
>
> So, generative AI company algorithms are proprietary, like
> Facebook's and Tiktok's have been all along. Companies still
> aren't sharing algorithms with researchers, even if they
> sign a non-disclosure agreement (still true?). If we can't
> see it, we can't analyze it, regulate it, amend it, or make
> it accountable. I've always been surprised that people don't
> leak them.
>
> Companies could be compelled to make their algorithms more
> transparent if there were a law that requires it, but so far
> there's no law.
>
> Paola, if your field is algorithmic auditability, do you
> ever see proprietary algorithms? If so, how?
>
> Also:
>
> Earlier today Lina Khan, head of the US Federal Trade
> Commission, tweeted:
> --- Today @FTC <https://x.com/FTC> referred its case against
> TikTok to the Civil Division at
> @TheJusticeDept <https://x.com/TheJusticeDept>
> . Our investigation found reason to believe that TikTok is
> violating or about to violate the FTC Act and the Children’s
> Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
> ----
> As a complete non-lawyer, I was interested to see that
> TikTok was getting in trouble partly because the FTC
> believes they are/*about to violate these laws. */ Users are
> about to get injured by Tiktok, predicts the FTC. I didn't
> know a company could be sued for something it hasn't done
> wrong yet.
>
> If so, could this apply to generative AI companies?
>
> Is there a lawyer who might answer that question?
>
> -Kate
>
> ps: Here's the link for such a lawyer to sign up for this
> list: https://lists.ghserv.net/mailman/listinfo/lt
> <https://lists.ghserv.net/mailman/listinfo/lt>and for us,
> here are short explanations ofthe FTC Act
> <https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/statutes/federal-trade-commission-act>and COPPA <https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/rules/childrens-online-privacy-protection-rule-coppa>.
>
>
> On Tue, Jun 18, 2024 at 12:36 AM Kate Krauss
> <katiephr at gmail.com <mailto:katiephr at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
> Yes, that's an interesting idea, Hans.
>
> Former NSA chief Keith Alexander, who has a history of
> lying about spying on Americans, is on Amazon's board.
>
> -Kate
>
> On Tue, Jun 18, 2024 at 12:21 AM Klein, Hans K
> <hans at gatech.edu <mailto:hans at gatech.edu>> wrote:
>
> The case of OpenAI is one instance of a general
> trend in which national security agencies overlap
> with IT/media corporations. ____
>
> __ __
>
> The same thing happened at Twitter, I believe:
> https://twitterfiles.substack.com/p/1-thread-the-twitter-files <https://twitterfiles.substack.com/p/1-thread-the-twitter-files>____
>
> __ __
>
> It would be quite useful and interesting for someone
> to perform some non-partisan research on such ties
> in general.____
>
> __ __
>
> Hans Klein____
>
> Georgia Tech____
>
> __ __
>
> __ __
>
> *From:*LT <lt-bounces at lists.liberationtech.org
> <mailto:lt-bounces at lists.liberationtech.org>> *On
> Behalf Of *Paola Di Maio
> *Sent:* Monday, June 17, 2024 10:46 PM
> *To:* Isaac M <isaac.mao at gmail.com
> <mailto:isaac.mao at gmail.com>>
> *Cc:* cat.zakrzewski at washpost.com
> <mailto:cat.zakrzewski at washpost.com>; Kate Krauss
> <katiephr at gmail.com <mailto:katiephr at gmail.com>>; LT
> <lt at lists.liberationtech.org
> <mailto:lt at lists.liberationtech.org>>;
> gerrit.devynck at washpost.com
> <mailto:gerrit.devynck at washpost.com>; Andrés
> Leopoldo Pacheco Sanfuentes <alps6085 at gmail.com
> <mailto:alps6085 at gmail.com>>
> *Subject:* Re: [liberationtech] OpenAI adds
> Trump-appointed former NSA director to its board____
>
> __ __
>
> Thank you Kate for bringing up this issue here____
>
> How do you think this should be tackled? My work is
> in algorithmic auditablity, awareness and
> explainability____
>
> trying to develop more understanding and possibly
> standards____
>
> what do people suggest?____
>
> __ __
>
> /Note for Sawsan: I think the reference to the
> president here was purely related to the person
> being part of that administration at the time?/____
>
> __ __
>
> /Paola Di Maio W3C AI KR CG/____
>
> __ __
>
> __ __
>
> __ __
>
> On Tue, Jun 18, 2024 at 4:41 AM Isaac M
> <isaac.mao at gmail.com <mailto:isaac.mao at gmail.com>>
> wrote:____
>
> We should never place our hopes on company
> boards functioning in the public interest. The
> recent debacles at Boeing and Tesla demonstrate
> this. In Tesla's case, the board and
> shareholders with meme greed have only indulged
> Elon Musk, further bolstering his feudalistic
> tendencies.____
>
> __ __
>
> On Tue, Jun 18, 2024 at 8:19 AM Kate Krauss
> <katiephr at gmail.com <mailto:katiephr at gmail.com>>
> wrote:____
>
> So OpenAI has a conflicted mission, a weak
> board, an insanely risky goal, and no
> accountability (am I missing something?). Oh
> right, their product is evolving at a
> million miles an hour.
>
> They've shed many of the staff and board
> members who cared most about safety. ____
>
> __ __
>
> Microsoft, their funder, could reign them in
> but it is motivated instead to egg them on.
> And now they've got a board member with very
> close ties to two US presidents and one of
> the world's most powerful spy agencies. The
> keys are on the table, as Juan Benet would
> say.____
>
> __ __
>
> I don't think OpenAI could be getting more
> press coverage--the coverage has been
> near-constant and pretty responsible. ____
>
> __ __
>
> Are the NGOs working on this having any
> luck? ____
>
> __ __
>
> -Kate____
>
> __ __
>
> __ __
>
> On Sun, Jun 16, 2024 at 12:27 PM Andrés
> Leopoldo Pacheco Sanfuentes
> <alps6085 at gmail.com
> <mailto:alps6085 at gmail.com>> wrote:____
>
> Sorry but “accountability” runs afoul of
> profit so many times, and the “mission”
> of OpenAI is DoubleSpeak:____
>
> __ __
>
> OpenAI is an AI research and deployment
> company. Our mission is to ensure that
> artificial general intelligence benefits
> all of humanity.____
>
> __ __
>
> Regards / Saludos / Grato____
>
> __ __
>
> Andrés Leopoldo Pacheco Sanfuentes____
>
> Pronouns: He/Him/They/Them (equal
> preference)____
>
>
>
> ____
>
> On Jun 16, 2024, at 10:52 AM, Kate
> Krauss <katiephr at gmail.com
> <mailto:katiephr at gmail.com>> wrote:____
>
> ____
>
> Hi,____
>
> __ __
>
> There is currently no accountability
> for the decisions at OpenAI, to my
> knowledge. What has to happen for
> that to change? The board is not
> working. ____
>
> __ __
>
> How can the company be held
> accountable? I'm especially
> interested in the thoughts of policy
> people and lawyers on this list.
> And yes, choosing a spy chief for
> the board is a big red flag.____
>
> __ __
>
> Sincerely,____
>
> __ __
>
> Kate____
>
> __ __
>
> On Sat, Jun 15, 2024 at 12:16 AM
> Sawsan Gad <sawsangad at gmail.com
> <mailto:sawsangad at gmail.com>> wrote:____
>
> Hello friends —____
>
> __ __
>
> I was so happy when
> Liberationtech was resurrected,
> and of course a former head of
> NSA on AI is something that
> needs to covered and discussed. ____
>
> __ __
>
> However, I hope we’re not
> quickly degenerating into
> Trump-this Trump-that (and
> sensationalizing the title, only
> to realize the guy “was asked to
> continue under Biden” buried
> deep down inside). (!)____
>
> __ __
>
> Journalists may need to do this
> kind of (… work..?) to keep
> their jobs — god knows for how
> long. Normal people, not so
> much. ____
>
> __ __
>
> People are working very hard to
> restore a basic level of trust
> among family and friends, after
> the several political and civil
> abuses of the last few years.
> Let’s please keep good spirits
> and stay relevant on the things
> that we all care about, and not
> assume political leanings of
> others, and that magic words
> will evoke certain reactions à
> la Pavlov. ____
>
> __ __
>
> Now, back to discussing OpenAI.
> :)____
>
> (Sorry Kate if that’s too
> forward. All respect to you,
> thank you for sharing the
> article). ____
>
> __ __
>
> Sawsan Gad____
>
> PhD student - Geoinformatics____
>
> George Mason University____
>
> __ __
>
> __ __
>
> On Fri, Jun 14, 2024 at 8:05 PM
> Kate Krauss <katiephr at gmail.com
> <mailto:katiephr at gmail.com>>
> wrote:____
>
> Sam Altman, one of AI's
> most important leaders--at
> least for now--is a man with
> incredible contacts,
> wonderful social skills, and
> apparently few scruples.
> Appointing the former head
> of the NSA to OpenAI's board
> demonstrates that this
> company is unaccountable.
> This company puts
> Americans--and everybody
> else in the world--at risk.____
>
> __ __
>
> How can OpenAI be made
> accountable? The stakes are
> so high. Its board has
> already failed to contain
> it. ____
>
> __ __
>
> Not even the worst part of
> this, but new board member
> Nakasone's hobby horse is
> that the US must out-compete
> China in generative AI.____
>
> __ __
>
> -Kate____
>
> __ __
>
> ps: What happens at OpenAI
> if Trump is re-elected?
>
> *Washington Post:
>
> OpenAI adds Trump-appointed
> former NSA director to its board
> *
> Paul M. Nakasone joins
> OpenAI’s board following a
> dramatic shakeup, as a tough
> regulatory environment
> pushes tech companies to
> board members with military
> expertise.
>
> By Cat Zakrzewski and Gerrit
> De Vynck
> Updated June 14, 2024 at
> 12:16 p.m.
> EDT|Published June 13, 2024
> at 5:00 p.m. ED____
>
> __ __
>
> The board appointment of
> retired Army Gen. Paul M.
> Nakasone comes as OpenAI
> tries to quell criticism of
> its security practices.
> (Ricky Carioti/The
> Washington Po____
>
> OpenAI has tapped former
> U.S. Army general and
> National Security Agency
> director Paul M. Nakasone to
> join its board of directors,
> the continuation of a
> reshuffling spurred by CEO
> Sam Altman’s temporary
> ousting in November.
>
> Nakasone, a Trump appointee
> who took over the NSA in
> 2018 and was asked to
> continue in the role under
> Biden, will join the OpenAI
> board’s Safety and Security
> Committee, which the company
> stood up in late May to
> evaluate and improve its
> policies to test models and
> curb abuse.
>
> The appointment of the
> career Army officer, who was
> the longest-serving leader
> of U.S. Cybercom, comes as
> OpenAI tries to quell
> criticism of its security
> practices — including from
> some of the company’s
> current and former employees
> who allege the ChatGPT-maker
> prioritizes profits over the
> safety of its products. The
> company is under increasing
> scrutiny following the
> exodus of several key
> employees and a public
> letter that called for
> sweeping changes to its
> practices.
>
> “OpenAI occupies a unique
> role, facing cyber threats
> while pioneering
> transformative technology
> that could revolutionize how
> institutions combat them,"
> Nakasone told the Post in a
> statement. "I am looking
> forward to supporting the
> company in safeguarding its
> innovations while leveraging
> them to benefit society at
> large.”
>
> Amid the public backlash,
> OpenAI has said it is hiring
> more security engineers
> and increasing
> transparency about its
> approach to securing the
> systems that power its
> research. Last week, a
> former employee, Leopold
> Aschenbrenner, said on a
> podcast that he had written
> a memo to OpenAI’s board
> last year because he felt
> the company’s security was
> “egregiously insufficient”
> to stop a foreign government
> from taking control of its
> technology by hacking.
>
> Security researchers have
> also pointed out that
> chatbots are vulnerable
> to “prompt injection”
> attacks, in which hackers
> can break in to a company’s
> computer system through a
> chatbot that is hooked up to
> its internal databases. Some
> companies also ban their
> employees from using ChatGPT
> out of concern that OpenAI
> may not be able to properly
> protect sensitive
> information fed into its
> chatbot.
>
> Nakasone joins OpenAI’s
> board following a dramatic
> board shake-up. Amid a
> tougher regulatory
> environment and increased
> efforts to digitize
> government and military
> services, tech companies are
> increasingly seeking board
> members with military
> expertise. Amazon’s board
> includes Keith Alexander,
> who was previously the
> commander of U.S. Cyber
> Command and the director of
> the NSA. Google Public
> Sector, a division of the
> company that focuses on
> selling cloud services to
> governments, also has
> retired generals on its
> board. (Amazon founder Jeff
> Bezos owns The Washington
> Post.)____
>
>
> Until January, OpenAI had a
> ban on the use of its
> products for “military and
> warfare.” The company says
> the prohibition was removed
> to allow for military uses
> that align with its values,
> including disaster relief
> and support for veterans.
> “Our policies have
> consistently prohibited the
> use of our tools including
> our API and ChatGPT to
> ‘develop or use weapons,
> injure others or destroy
> property,’” OpenAI
> spokesperson Liz Bourgeois
> said. “That has not
> changed.” Nakasone did not
> respond to a request for
> comment.
>
> Nakasone brings deep
> Washington experience to the
> board, as the company tries
> to build a more
> sophisticated government
> relations strategy and push
> the message to policymakers
> that U.S. AI companies are a
> bulwark against China.
> “We want to make sure that
> American companies ... have
> the lead in the innovation
> of this technology, I think
> the disruptive technology of
> this century,” Nakasone said
> when asked about AI during a
> recent Post Live interview.____
>
> __ __
>
> --____
>
> --
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