You’re welcome to join us for our next Data Ethics & Society Reading Group on Monday the 26th July 2021 at 12:30 - 13:30 GMT.
This time we’re going to discuss the first three chapters (Earth, Labor & Data - plus the Introduction) of Atlas of AI by Kate Crawford.
Atlas of AI presents AI as a technology of extraction: from the minerals drawn from the earth, to the labour pulled from low-wage information workers, to the data taken from every action and expression.
This book can be purchased in the UK from Blackwell’s, AbeBooks, Amazon (kindle or hardback), or an independent retailer.
We have put together some material related to some of the concepts in the book below.
Kate Crawford on “Atlas of AI: Power, Politics, and the Planetary Costs of Artificial Intelligence”, Kate Crawford, (video, 48 mins). Crawford discusses the book in this sub one-hour video using content from the book itself. If you don’t have time to read the book, or read/watch/listen to the below, please watch this video.
Anatomy of AI and Verge blog post, Kate Crawford & Vladan Joler, Verge post by James Vincent Crawford & Joler started with trying to draw (literally) what it takes to make an Amazon Echo work. They end up with this two-year research project to trace those material supply chains from cradle to grave. Crawford then shifted from an analysis of just one device to applying this sort of critical analysis to the entire industry in her book: Atlas of AI. The Verge post provides explanatory background information for the illustration.
Mapping AI’s Societal Impact, Exponential View WIth Azeem Azhar, (podcast, 1 hour). Crawford joins Azhar for a discussion about how AI is not just code and algorithms, exploring its roots in a global network of extraction: of resources, labour and data. Should be available wherever you normally get your podcasts!
Mining more than data, Emily Parsons, Computer History Museum, (blog plus 4 minutes of video). Handy explainer of a couple of concepts covered in the book, together with video excerpts from Crawford herself.
Thank you to Harriet for suggesting this week’s content, and to all those who suggested content, which we we look forward to sharing at future events.
There will be time to talk about whatever we like, relating to the paper, but here are some specific questions to think about while you’re reading.