Setting the Record Straight: AI Does Not ‘Exist to Harm or Take Over Things’ (Like Some People Have Been Led to Believe)

I sat down with inspired software engineer Saliha Demir to find out what she has learned - and once misunderstood - about AI. Her early AI experiences are certainly a wake-up call. Listen to this…

I've been working with artificial intelligence (AI) for a long time, so I'm always curious to hear what new engineers think about its potential impact on our lives and the world at large. That's why I recently sat down with Saliha Demir on our podcast.

Saliha is a software engineer turned AI enthusiast who spent the summer of 2024 interning with Zebra in our mobile computing and cloud business. Just as she was starting with us, though, she was featured in a New York Times story about a new AI upskilling program hosted by MIT and Breakthrough Tech that gives students a crash course in advanced technology solutioning and an opportunity to drive some high-impact AI-based innovations. So, I wanted to learn more about that experience and also a dietary-related app she had developed separately that I felt would be tremendously beneficial to my family and me. (My son has a nut allergy, and she found a way for AI to help us quickly figure out whether the food my son wants to eat is safe for him to eat.)

Throughout our 20-minute conversation, we chatted about what she developed while in school, what's she's working on at Zebra, and the passion projects that may prove to be fundamentally life-changing for people like you and me.

We also spoke about the nuances of working with AI, and the surprising pace at which AI and other technological innovation happens at companies like Zebra.

Then she went on to share something that had me taken aback a bit.

I had asked her what she's learned about AI, and her response was…

'I misunderstood that AI exists to harm or take over things…it took me a little bit to understand that AI is just the tool, and it's whatever you make of it'.

She also admitted that she came into software engineering with very little understanding of AI because she never really experienced it personally. She didn't use ChatGPT. Her understanding of AI at the start of her schooling was purely derived from others' negative experiences. (She's an artist, so all she heard was 'AI is taking over art'.)

So, it wasn't until she learned more about AI that she came to see it for what it is: an augment.

Now she knows 'it exists to augment people and help things.'.

However, she doesn't believe many people truly understand that 'when AI is used for harm, it's just harmful intentions that augmented the AI, and when AI is used for good, it's good intentions'. So, that's a message she's trying to get across to her friends, to younger students, to artists, and to the world - and I support that 100%.

There's a lot we still have to learn about AI, but as I've learned already, it can absolutely make this world a better place, especially with caring people like Saliha teaching it how to do really helpful things for us.

Hit play now to hear our full conversation and find out more about some of the smart ways that Saliha and other software engineers are using AI to help make our lives and jobs a lot easier. (Just make sure you play it through to the end, as she has some good advice for both students and software engineers about how to approach AI.)

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If you prefer to listen later, you can download the below MP3. There's also a transcript you can download here if you would rather read the interview.

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Editor's Note:

Stuart has done a lot of work lately to set the record straight around AI misperceptions and misinformation. So, I encourage you to tune into some of the other conversations he's had with leading AI experts and some of his personal learnings and experiences:

• The Truth About AI: What Mainstream Media Coverage is Missing

• Plan to Put AI to Work for Your Business? Just Make Sure There's Always a Human in the Loop. (Podcast)

• Is Generative AI Really Going to Change the Retail Experience as Some Experts Claim?

Stuart Hubbard is a respected leader in the field of AI and advanced development, known for his practical approach, technical innovation, and ability to drive success in the development of cutting-edge technologies.

He currently serves as Senior Director of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Development at Zebra Technologies and boasts a wealth of technical experience garnered from various industries worldwide. His specialization lies in AI, machine learning, deep learning, computer vision, as well as IoT and cloud-based solutions (SaaS and PaaS). Notably, Stuart excels in building high-performing research and development teams that are capable of developing innovative and integrated solutions.