Book burning and IRS using AI
Book burning and IRS using AI
Notes From the Desk: No. 7 - 2023.09.20
Notes From the Desk are periodic posts that summarize recent topics of interest or other brief notable commentary that might otherwise be a tweet or note.
Metaculus is tracking public predictions of AI events
Such events as the following are being tracked on Metaculus. Currently estimating 66% chance a politician claims they lost an election due to AI deepfakes before 2025.
However, what this narrow focus misses is that AI has likely already cost prior elections through algorithmic manipulations of information networks and AI is already being used in political campaigns.
The flames aren’t visible, but the books are burning
She estimates more than 50 per cent of her school's library books are gone.
In the spring, Takata says students were told by staff that "if the shelves look emptier right now it's because we have to remove all books [published] prior to 2008."
Takata is one of several Peel District School Board (PDSB) students, parents and community members CBC Toronto spoke to who are concerned about a seemingly inconsistent approach to a new equity-based book weeding process implemented by the board last spring in response to a provincial directive from the Minister of Education.
Students, parents question school board's library weeding process
The worldwide momentum behind the construction of dystopian societies continues. It is no longer a thought of “oh wow, look at what is happening over there …”. If this is not happening local to you, it is more of a foretelling of what is coming.
IRS begins using AI to fight tax evasion
The Internal Revenue Service is planning to use artificial intelligence to investigate possible tax evasion by large hedge funds, real estate investors and private equity groups. The initiative taps part of an $80 billion allocation from last year’s Inflation Reduction Act.
Ah yes, inflation is a problem because the government hasn’t taken enough of your earnings. The precedents are being set. AI will monitor all citizens for compliance and unlawful behaviors.
BTW, does anyone know how many laws they break on any given day?
If you reside in America and it is dinnertime, you have almost certainly broken the law. In his book Three Felonies a Day, civil-liberties lawyer Harvey Silverglate estimates that the average person unknowingly breaks at least three federal criminal laws every day. This toll does not count an avalanche of other laws — for example misdemeanors or civil violations such as disobeying a civil contempt order — all of which confront average people at every turn.
So, if they will soon be able to track everything, know everything, how long before we are all criminals?
No compass through the dark exists without hope of reaching the other side and the belief that it matters …
