How to ensure artificial intelligence benefits society: A conversation with Stuart Russell and James Manyika

Stuart Russell, a leading artificial-intelligence (AI) researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, and author of the book Human Compatible (Penguin Random House, October 2019), sits down with McKinsey Global Institute chairman James Manyika to discuss our future as AI transforms our world. In this broad conversation, they explore the immense benefits ahead and what our role will be as AI becomes more pervasive. They also delve into potential challenges we may face with our current approach to AI, and how we can redefine AI to ensure it helps humanity achieve its full potential. James Manyika: When you look at the AI field today and you see all these announcements and breakthroughs, what excites you the most? Stuart Russell: With today's technology, delivering high-quality education to everybody on Earth is just the beginning. Even fairly simple AI tutoring tools have been shown to be very effective. So that can only get better if we figure out how to roll it out to the people who really need it.