Technology

Atlas of AI: 8 key ideas

by Kate Crawford

The core ideas of Atlas of AI, each in under a minute, written in our own words. Want the full depth? Get the book.

1. IDEA 1 OF 8

   AI is not just software

   Crawford argues that artificial intelligence is neither artificial nor simply intelligent.

   It depends on physical resources, human labour and huge amounts of data, and it reflects the interests of those who build it.

2. IDEA 2 OF 8

   AI depends on mining

   Crawford describes how AI systems rely on minerals such as lithium, mined at great environmental cost.

   Data centres also use large amounts of energy and water. Crawford shows that AI has a physical footprint, not just a digital one.

3. IDEA 3 OF 8

   Hidden workers power AI

   Crawford describes the low-paid workers who label data and moderate content behind AI systems.

   Their labour is often invisible. Without this human work, many systems that look automatic would not function at all.

4. IDEA 4 OF 8

   Data is taken freely

   Crawford argues that AI companies gather huge amounts of data, including images of people, often without consent.

   She sees this as a form of extraction. In her view, ordinary people supply the raw material without being asked or paid.

5. IDEA 5 OF 8

   Classification carries politics

   Crawford explains that AI systems sort people into categories that reflect choices and biases.

   These categories can harm people. A label such as a type of person may look neutral, but someone decided what it means.

6. IDEA 6 OF 8

   Reading emotions is doubtful

   Crawford criticises emotion recognition systems, which claim to read feelings from faces.

   She argues the science behind them is weak. Faces alone, she says, cannot reliably show what a person truly feels inside.

7. IDEA 7 OF 8

   States use AI for control

   Crawford describes how governments use AI for surveillance and military purposes.

   This expands state power. Tools built for sorting and tracking people can be used to watch citizens or to support armies. Crawford sees this as a serious concern.

8. IDEA 8 OF 8

   AI reflects power

   Crawford concludes that AI is a tool that serves existing powers.

   She calls for questioning who benefits. In her view, the technology is shaped by those who pay for it and who gain most from it.