Mindful Leadership in an Age of Disruptive AI Inaugural Forum

The MOU signing event at NUS iCube was followed by a thought-provoking panel discussion on 18 May 2023, aimed at dissecting the influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in our world today. Titled "Mindful Leadership in an Age of Disruptive AI", a diverse group of thought leaders and experts delved into the critical aspects of AI. These included:

• Ms Penny Low, Founder and Chair of UFG and SIP; and former Member of Parliament

• Professor Chen Tsuhan, Deputy President (Innovation and Enterprise) of NUS; and Chief Scientist of AI Singapore

• Professor Simon Chesterman, Vice Provost (Educational Innovation) of NUS; and Senior Director (AI Governance) of AI Singapore

• Mr Chavalit Frederick Tsao, Chairman of IMC Pan Asia Alliance Group; and Founder of Octave

• Dr Songyee Yoon, Managing Partner of Chamaeleon Venture Capital

These esteemed panellists discussed the necessity for mindful leadership in navigating the myriad of opportunities that generative AI technologies present. The conversation revolved around how business leaders and innovators can act as stewards for the responsible application of AI. There was a unanimous agreement among the panellists that while AI's transformative power is undeniable, it carries its own set of challenges and potential risks. Unregulated or misused AI can lead to damaging outcomes. Hence, there is a profound responsibility among humanity – the duty to utilize it mindfully, ethically, and responsibly.

Panellists were challenged with the notion that AI could take over humanity one day. Dr Yoon Songyee provided interesting insight regarding this matter. She mentioned, “The worry here is not what we see in science fiction, with AI robots holding guns. I think the real worry here is that AI is undermining our democracy – our virtues, values, and our systems. We have fought and worked many years to get here. And that’s all a risk if we don’t use AI mindfully.”

Mr Frederick Tsao introduced the notion of mindful leadership in AI by suggesting, “We have to accept that AI is going to get more and more involved in our lives. Einstein said that we cannot solve the problems we create with the same consciousness. That’s why we have to be mindful – not just about technology, but how it evolves with us.” Leaders today bear the responsibility to understand the potential repercussions of AI implementations and establish safeguards against misuse. Ethical AI usage is prioritized by mindful leaders, ensuring transparency, fairness, and privacy. As summarised by Ms Penny Low, “AI and its algorithms have been developed and integrated into our societies very well. The issue, then, is not about whether it takes over us, but about how mindfully we use it. It’s about human consciousness. If you allow machines to dictate what we look at, without processing it for ourselves, that’s where we fail.”

Prof Chesterman also added to this, stating the importance of intent in the use of AI: “AI’s difficulty is how it interacts with dynamic human nature. If the roads only had autonomous vehicles, they would be a lot safer. The difficulty is when humans wonder how to exploit and jailbreak it. I worry more about human intent.”

In a time where technology permeates every facet of our lives, our values must remain central. This sentiment is shared by Prof Chen Tsuhan, who maintains, “We still can remain hopeful. Eventually, humans will come to terms with AI’s development and its role in our society. Until then, we have to keep using AI mindfully. We have to stick to the right principles.”

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