“AI Is a Tool, and Its Values Are Human Values.”
Computer scientist and “godmother of AI” Fei-Fei Li explains why artificial intelligence and public life are at an inflection point—and contemplates how to unleash positive changes while mitigating risks.
Fei-Fei Li has been called the godmother of AI for her pioneering work in computer vision and image recognition. Li invented ImageNet, a foundational large-scale dataset that has contributed to key developments in deep learning and artificial intelligence. She previously served as chief scientist of AI at Google Cloud and as a member of the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource Task Force for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Science Foundation.
Li is currently the Sequoia Professor of Computer Science at Stanford University, where she cofounded and codirects the Institute for Human-Centered AI. She also cofounded the national nonprofit AI4ALL, which aims to increase inclusion and diversity in AI education. Li is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Medicine, and her recent book is The Worlds I See: Curiosity, Exploration, and Discovery at the Dawn of AI.
In an interview with Issues editor Sara Frueh, Li shares her thoughts on how to keep AI centered on human well-being, the ethical responsibilities of AI scientists and developers, and whether there are limits to the human qualities AI can attain.
