Al Olama, who was recently named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in AI, argued that governments have a responsibility to ensure their populations are not left behind by technological progress. He suggested a three-pronged approach of reskilling, retooling, and retiring. Workers whose jobs will be disrupted by AI should be trained for different roles, those who retain their roles should be given the means to fully utilize AI, and older workers should be offered early retirement.
Key takeaways:
- Omar Al Olama, the world’s first minister of AI, warns that overregulation of artificial intelligence could have severe consequences, comparing it to the Ottoman Empire's refusal to adopt the printing press.
- Al Olama argues that the issues faced by policymakers regarding AI, such as job losses, misinformation, and social upheaval, are similar to those faced by the Ottoman Empire when it rejected the printing press.
- Al Olama believes that governments have a responsibility to ensure their constituents are not left behind by technological progress, and should focus on upskilling professionals to regulate AI effectively.
- The UAE's approach to AI disruption involves "three Rs"—reskill, retool, and retire. Workers whose jobs will be disrupted by AI should be retrained, those who retain their roles should be provided with the means to take advantage of AI, and older workers should be offered early retirement.