After May 20th, I have been on a whirlwind EU tour, with a speech at VivaTech – Europe’s largest tech and startup event in Paris, France. At the forefront of innovation, everyone is still talking about AI. But this time, there is a noteworthy phenomenon: many Europeans are not entirely optimistic about AI, and some are even quite worried.

There are several fundamental reasons for this. Europe's long history and deep culture have traditionally been its strengths, but now, under the enormous wave of AI progress, it is forced to confront this new trend.

The primary challenge lies in the centralization of data. Cutting-edge AI technologies are currently concentrated within a few tech giants. When numerous European creations are used to train these proprietary AI models, it essentially means handing over the interpretation of their accumulated culture and knowledge.

This concern is also present in the U.S., as illustrated by a recent news story.

Frank McCourt, the former owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, is seeking to acquire TikTok's U.S. operations and announced plans to "migrate TikTok to an open-source protocol." This move aims to restore users' autonomy over their digital identities and content, give creators a voice in TikTok's governance, and plan to collaborate with other platforms to ensure interoperable content dissemination.

Why is this necessary? Because TikTok’s AI learns your preferences to attract you, but it can also be used to manipulate you. These algorithms determine the priority of information each person receives, influencing the society in opaque ways.

Many now understand that big platforms analyze viewing behavior to deliver precise content and ads. Although this can be distracting, it becomes nigh impossible to break free once the habit is formed.

So, what can be done?

One solution is to extend the relevant provisions of the EU digital acts, requiring that large platforms to achieve "interoperability." For instance, requiring that content posted on these platforms can be viewed and interacted with by users on other platforms. This would prevent a few giants from monopolizing content, personal data and user behavior records. For creators, it would also increase their options, freeing them from servitude.

Another solution involves financial power, as exemplified by the former Dodgers’ owner. By introducing open-source protocols and governance models similar to cooperative organizations, power can be "returned to the people." Even without corporate backing, leaders can first collaborate with other smaller community platforms, gradually returning revenue sharing and control to users. Open-source AI models can then be used to recommend content that promotes mutual understanding, allowing good currency to drive out bad currency.

Although this may sound idealistic, it can guide a new vision. Governance of foreign platforms is a global challenge, and as the new wave of AI arrives, we should approach it from a different angle, harnessing the collective intelligence of many to foster positive change.

(Interview and Compilation by Hsin-Ting Fang. License: CC BY 4.0)