Equal is an Exception : Unequal is Ubiquitous

 

 

 

Following are a few examples of how nature has organized the Universe. I am sure hundreds of other things that we find around us , follow the same pattern

But how are their “ Attributes “ distributed among the populations of these entities ?

Distribution Curves shown below , are a few , most likely examples

A few follow a “ reasonably but not a perfect “ ,  NORMAL DISTRIBUTION , shown at the top

Then there are quite a large number of entities which are unevenly distributed , with tendency towards a “ LOW “ value of attribute or towards a “ HIGH “ value . These SKEWED DISTRIBUTIONS are shown in the middle

At the bottom, is a , highly unlikely , FLAT / EVEN , distribution curve where the % age of population , for all “ Class Intervals “ , has almost the same values for attributes

Apparently , INEQUALITY seems to be the rule and EQUALITY an exception !

Over past hundreds of years, Political Systems ( Democracy / Dictatorship / Kingdoms etc ) have not succeeded in reducing the “ inequalities “ , in any significant way

Nor have different experimentations with Economic Systems ( Communist – Socialist – Capitalist etc ), fared any better in reducing the gap between the RICH and the POOR of the world

But could this change with the arrival of Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) ?

 

With regards,

Hemen Parekh /  www.My-Teacher.in / 16 Oct 2024

 

Entity	Attribute	End Points of Distribution Curve	Most Likely Frequency Distribution Curve
Human Beings	Height	Tall - Short	Normal Binomial Curve
	Weight	Obese – Light	Skewed Curve
	Color	White - Black	Skewed Curve
	Education	Highly Educated - Illiterate	Skewed Curve
	Life Span	Long - Short	Normal Binomial Curve
	Health	Healthy - Sick	Skewed Curve
	Age	Old - Young	Normal Binomial Curve
	Wealth	Rich - Poor	Skewed Curve
	Skills	Highly Skilled - Unskilled	Skewed Curve
Economic Status (Countries)	GDP	Trillions - Millions	Skewed Curve
Living Condition	Comfort Level	Harsh - Comfortable	Skewed Curve
Countries / Cities	Population	Huge - Few	Skewed Curve
Climate	Temperature	Hot - Cold	Normal Binomial Curve
	Humidity	Dry - Wet	Skewed Curve
Air	AQI	50 - 500	Skewed Curve
Region	Weather	Hot - Cold	Normal Binomial Curve
Topography	Altitude	Mountains - Plains	Skewed Curve
Buildings	Height	Skyscraper – One floor	Skewed Curve
Solar System	Planet Size	Huge - Small	Skewed Curve
Universe	Bodies	Gigantic - Tiny	Skewed Curve
Flora and Fauna	Size (Animals)	Large - Small	Normal Binomial Curve
	Lifespan (Trees)	Long - Short	Normal Binomial Curve
Economic Transactions	Income Level (Individuals)	High - Low	Skewed Curve
Products in a Supermarket	Price Range	Expensive - Cheap	Skewed Curve

 

 

I asked ChatGPT :

Hey, ChatGPT :

In the above blog , I have cited a few examples of " ATTRIBUTE DISTRIBUTIONS " of various entities .

Obviously, some of these inequalities are genetic and cannot be bridged.

But then there are inequalities of WEALTH , with a very small no of world population owning / controlling , 90 % of world's wealth and millions starving to death for want of money to buy even food.

So far our Political / Economic Systems have failed miserably to reduce this gap - leave alone bridge it.

I would like your views whether AI can- and will- help reduce this gap and if you believe so , how will AI go about this ?

 

ChatGPT replied :

AI has the potential to play a significant role in addressing wealth inequality, but it is not a silver bullet. The impact of AI depends largely on how it is deployed, regulated, and integrated into the existing economic and political systems.

Here’s how AI could help reduce the gap between the rich and the poor, along with the challenges and opportunities it presents:

1. Enhanced Economic Productivity and Job Creation

• Automation and Efficiency:

AI can automate repetitive, low-skilled tasks, increasing overall productivity in various industries like manufacturing, agriculture, and logistics. This could lead to lower production costs and, in turn, make essential goods more affordable.

 

• New Job Opportunities:

While AI will replace some jobs, it can also create new categories of work that didn’t previously exist, particularly in AI development, maintenance, and application. Training programs and upskilling initiatives driven by AI could provide people with access to higher-paying jobs, helping to uplift the economically disadvantaged.

2. Targeted Social Programs and Policy Interventions

• Data-Driven Social Welfare:

AI can analyze vast amounts of data to identify the most vulnerable populations and allocate resources more effectively. By precisely targeting social programs (e.g., food aid, healthcare access, and housing), governments could significantly improve living conditions and reduce poverty.

 

• Optimizing Tax Systems:

AI could help governments develop more efficient and progressive tax policies. By tracking economic activities and identifying tax evasion or avoidance patterns, AI could enable more equitable taxation, ensuring the wealthy pay their fair share and that revenue is channelled into public welfare programs.

 

3. Financial Inclusion and Empowerment

• Accessible Banking and Microfinance:

AI-powered fintech solutions can extend financial services to the unbanked population, especially in developing regions. By providing digital banking, microloans, and mobile payment systems, AI can empower individuals and small businesses to grow economically, promoting upward mobility.

 

• Personalized Financial Advice:

AI can offer personalized financial guidance and support to those without access to traditional financial planning services. This helps individuals make informed decisions about saving, investing, and managing debt, reducing wealth inequality over time.

 

4. Improving Access to Education and Skills Development

• AI-Driven Education Platforms:

AI can provide personalized learning experiences tailored to individual needs, making education more accessible and affordable. Online platforms could reach remote and underserved communities, bridging the educational divide.

 

• Lifelong Learning Programs:

AI can also facilitate lifelong learning, allowing workers to continuously upgrade their skills in response to the evolving job market. This adaptability helps prevent long-term unemployment and increases economic participation among low-income individuals.

5. Healthcare Access and Affordability

• AI in Healthcare:

AI-powered diagnostic tools and telemedicine services can provide high-quality medical care to underserved populations at a lower cost. AI can predict disease outbreaks, optimize resource allocation, and deliver preventive care measures, ultimately improving health outcomes and reducing the financial burden of healthcare on poor communities.

 

• Efficient Resource Distribution:

AI can analyze healthcare data to prioritize areas in most need of resources, ensuring that aid reaches those who require it the most, potentially narrowing health-related wealth disparities.

6. Sustainable Development and Environmental Justice

• Optimizing Resource Use:

AI can be used to monitor and manage natural resources efficiently, ensuring equitable distribution of water, food, and energy. By reducing waste and improving agricultural productivity, AI can help ensure that basic needs are met even in economically disadvantaged regions.

 

• Climate Change Mitigation:

Poor communities are often the most affected by climate change. AI can predict environmental risks, optimize disaster response efforts, and develop sustainable practices, reducing the economic impact of environmental inequalities.

Challenges and Considerations

While AI holds promise, several challenges need addressing to ensure it doesn’t widen the wealth gap further:

• Regulation and Governance:

Without proper regulation, AI could become a tool that benefits the wealthy and powerful, reinforcing existing inequalities. Governments must implement policies that ensure AI development is inclusive and benefits society as a whole.

 

• Data Privacy and Bias:

AI systems depend on vast amounts of data, and privacy must be protected, especially for marginalized communities. Additionally, AI must be designed to avoid reinforcing biases that can lead to discrimination and inequality.

 

• Access to AI Technology:

For AI to bridge the wealth gap, its benefits must be accessible to all, not just the privileged. Affordable technology, internet access, and digital literacy are essential components that need to be addressed.

Conclusion

AI has the potential to reduce wealth inequality, but its impact will depend on collective efforts by governments, organizations, and society.

If deployed responsibly and inclusively, AI can help build a more equitable future by providing opportunities for economic up-liftment, better access to essential services, and enhanced productivity.

However, if left unchecked, it could also exacerbate the divide between the rich and the poor.

This made me ask ChatGPT :

“Good Morning, ChatGPT :

During our chat yesterday ( re : role that AI can play in reducing inequalities ) , you said :

" • Access to AI Technology:

For AI to bridge the wealth gap, its benefits must be accessible to all, not just the privileged. Affordable technology, internet access, and digital literacy are essential components that need to be addressed. Conclusion AI has the potential to reduce wealth inequality, but its impact will depend on collective efforts by governments, organizations, and society. If deployed responsibly and inclusively, AI can help build a more equitable future by providing opportunities for economic up-liftment, better access to essential services, and enhanced productivity.

However, if left unchecked, it could also exacerbate the divide between the rich and the poor. "  

 

Now , from data published by World Intellectual Property Organization , I gather that most of the GenAI patents granted as of now are " cornered " by just following 10 companies :

 Tencent (2,074 inventions), Ping An Insurance (1,564 inventions), Baidu (1,234 inventions), Chinese Academy of Sciences (607), IBM (601), Alibaba Group (571), Samsung Electronics (468), Alphabet (443), ByteDance (418), Microsoft (377).

This clearly shows that most of the AI technologies are " monopolized " by China and USA

This clearly echoes your " fears " re: concentration of AI power

I strongly support your views and suggest that the UN charter should be immediately modified whereby , these companies are obliged to share their GenAI with any UN member country.

And not only those top 10 companies but all companies anywhere in the World , holding a GenAI patent .

In nutshell , GenAI must be treated like AIR surrounding our planet which is freely available ( to breath and live ) to entire population of the world equally .

Pl give your views on my suggestion :

 

ChatGPT  replied :

“Good Morning!

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and data regarding the concentration of AI technology.

Your suggestion to make Generative AI (GenAI) technology available globally as a shared resource is ambitious and, in principle, aligns with the goal of creating a more equitable world.

Let me elaborate on your suggestion and its implications:

1. AI as a Public Good

Your analogy of GenAI being like "air" emphasizes the idea that AI should be treated as a public good—freely accessible and available to everyone. By making it universally accessible, countries and communities that currently lack the resources or technological capabilities could leverage AI for economic development, healthcare, education, and more.

This approach could significantly reduce global inequalities and democratize the benefits of AI.

2. UN Involvement and the Modification of the Charter

The United Nations (UN) could indeed play a crucial role in promoting the responsible and equitable sharing of AI technology. If the UN charter were to be modified to mandate that companies holding GenAI patents share their technologies with UN member countries, it would be a monumental shift toward cooperative technology development.

However, this would require global consensus and likely face resistance from countries and corporations that currently dominate the AI landscape.

The challenge would be to structure the mandate in a way that:

• Respects Intellectual Property (IP):

Companies invest heavily in R&D, and simply mandating that they share their technology could be seen as violating their intellectual property rights. The UN would need to devise a framework where the benefits of AI could be shared while providing companies with incentives or compensation for their contributions.

• Encourages Innovation:

Companies might be less motivated to innovate if they are obliged to share their developments. An alternative could be creating open, collaborative platforms where companies are encouraged to contribute technology while still retaining some commercial benefits.

3. Technology Transfer and Capacity Building

For GenAI technology to be effectively shared and utilized, a comprehensive approach is needed:

• Technology Transfer Programs:

The UN could establish global technology transfer programs to help countries access, implement, and develop AI technology. This would involve training, infrastructure support, and partnerships between developed and developing nations.

• Capacity Building:

In addition to access, countries would need significant support in terms of digital literacy, infrastructure development, and regulatory guidance to harness the full potential of AI responsibly. The UN could facilitate capacity-building initiatives to prepare countries for AI adoption.

4. Global AI Regulation and Governance

If GenAI is to be universally accessible, international regulations and governance mechanisms would be necessary.

The UN could establish a global body to oversee the responsible sharing and usage of AI technologies, ensuring they are not used to exacerbate inequalities or for harmful purposes. This body could:

• Ensure that AI tools and data are shared ethically and equitably.
• Monitor the impact of AI technology on societies, economies, and labor markets.
• Promote transparency and fair competition, preventing monopolistic behavior.

5. Balancing Equity and Innovation

The idea of making GenAI universally accessible is transformative, but it must be balanced with the need to maintain a healthy innovation ecosystem. Some possible approaches could be:

• Open Source Collaboration:

Encourage companies to participate in global AI development efforts through open-source projects, allowing them to maintain a competitive edge while contributing to the global community.

• Incentivized Participation:

Provide financial incentives or recognition programs for companies that contribute their GenAI technologies to international initiatives, thus rewarding innovation and collaboration simultaneously.

Conclusion

Your suggestion to make GenAI as freely available as air has profound potential for addressing global inequalities.

However, its implementation would require:

• Modifying existing international regulations and intellectual property laws.
• Creating an inclusive, cooperative framework that ensures both equity and continued innovation.
• Developing global governance structures to monitor and manage AI technology responsibly.

If done correctly, this could set a precedent for global technology sharing, helping to build a future where AI truly benefits all of humanity, not just a privileged few.

 

 

 

Related Readings :

They showed institutions trump all other factors  …  HT … 15 Oct 2024

Economics Nobel awarded for study of inequality   ..  Nature … 14 Oct 2024

“Why are some countries today richer than others? The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel — or the Economics Nobel, to its friends — has been awarded to economists Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson and James Robinson for their work investigating the influence of institutions on a country’s success.  “

A Nobel prize for explaining why nations fail or succeed  .. Hindu … 15 Oct 2024

“The 2024 Economics Nobel laureates have argued that differences in the quality of economic and political institutions is what best explains the divergence in the economic fates of countries “

Nobel Prize in economics awarded to trio for explaining why some nations are rich and others poor .. CNN

The Nobel Prize

The introduction of more inclusive institutions, less extraction and the rule of law would create long-term benefits. So why don’t the elite simply replace the existing economic system?

The laureates’ model for explaining the circumstances under which political institutions are formed and changed has three components.

The first is a conflict over how resources are allocated and who holds decision-making power in a society (the elite or the masses).

The second is that the masses sometimes have the opportunity to exercise power by mobilising and threatening the ruling elite; power in a society is thus more than the power to make decisions.

The third is the commitment problem, which means that the only alternative is for the elite to hand over decision-making power to the populace.

Eco Nobel gets real.. ………………TOI .. ……………….14 Oct 2024

The laureates don’t offer solutions to inequality but have demonstrated the “importance of societal institutions for a country’s prosperity.

The gap in prosperity between nations today is a consequence of such historical transformations. 

Support for democracy is at an all-time low because democracy hasn’t delivered what it promised – jobs, stability, and quality public goods.

Authoritarian, populist leadership styles imperil institutions. When institutions fail, democracy falters – job-creation to law & order to service delivery. Globally, centre-left and centre-right parties are now associated with “wage stagnation and rising inequality”

A major advance in growth theory   ..   BL  ..  15  Oct  2024

 

Rise of capital stock supported by higher savings, and employment of more workers are treated as two main forms of raising factors of production. On the other hand, technological changes due to innovations, and improvement of skills of labour through education and training contribute to improvement of TFP