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Tech seminar | The promises and perils of AI-driven embodied technologies - 12 Sep 2024

We hosted a tech seminar on embodied technologies, an emerging form of technology that combines biological implants and data analytics systems. During this session, Eleunthia Wong Ellinger talked about the role of AI and the ethical dilemmas in the development of such technology. She also presented companies such as Neuralink that recently implanted a brain-computer interface into a human and is one of the most prominent examples of a new class of entrepreneurship coming into being.

Eleu explored the various types of embodied technologies, both existing and in development, highlighting recent product developments that often incorporate artificial intelligence. While these innovations offer revolutionary possibilities for assisting those with disabilities, they also raise significant concerns around physical safety, privacy, and control, especially when it comes to implants. Eleu looked into the ethical implications, including scenarios where companies are selling users' brain activity data, and instances where people with bionic eye implants have been left unsupported after their product companies went out of business. Overall, this seminar offered a fascinating discussion and exploration of science fiction-like possibilities that are rapidly becoming our new reality.

This seminar was part of Tech Initiative's event series on "AI unpacked: From basics to business strategies". All Tech Initiative events are designed for everyone — no advanced tech knowledge is needed.

Eleunthia Wong Ellinger is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the House of Innovation at the Stockholm School of Economics. Eleu conducts research in artificial intelligence, digital innovation, and innovation in organizational form. She is from the United States and prior to getting her PhD, she worked in the software industry in Seattle and Austin, Texas.

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