The Moloch Trap: OpenAI’s Evolution and the Paradox of Progress by Dr. Jasmin Cowin

The Moloch Trap: OpenAI’s Evolution and the Paradox of Progress

I am pleased to share my latest article for Stankevicius where I explore:

Introduction: Knowledge, Power, and Ambition

“Who overcomes/By force, hath overcome but half his foe.” John Milton, Paradise Lost , 1667, Book I, lines 648–649.

In the shadow of swirling lawsuits and heated debates over artificial intelligence (AI), the modern world seems to echo the tempest of Milton’s Paradise Lost, where the eternal struggle over knowledge, power, and ambition unfolds with unrelenting force. OpenAI’s evolution from a nonprofit research laboratory into a dominant market force raises questions familiar to Milton’s readers: What happens when the pursuit of knowledge transforms its seekers?

Read more by clicking the link below.

Cowin, J. (2024, December 2). The Moloch trap: OpenAI’s evolution and the paradox of progress. Stankevicius. https://stankevicius.co/artificial-intelligence/the-moloch-trap-openais-evolution-and-the-paradox-of-progress/

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Author: drcowinj

Dr. Jasmin (Bey) Cowin, an Associate Professor at Touro University, received the 2024 Touro University CETL Faculty Fellowship for Excellence in Teaching and the Rockefeller Institute of Government awarded her the prestigious Richard P. Nathan Public Policy Fellowship (2024-2025). As a Fulbright Scholar and SIT Graduate, she was selected to be a U.S. Department of State English Language Specialist. Her expertise in AI in education is underscored by her role as an AI trainer and former Education Policy Fellow (EPFP™) at Columbia University's Teachers College. As a columnist for Stankevicius, she explores Nicomachean Ethics at the intersection of AI and education. She has contributed to initiatives like Computers for Schools Burundi, served as a resource specialist for Amity University in Uttar Pradesh, India, and participated in TESOL "Train the Trainer" programs in Yemen and Morocco. Her research interests include simulations and metaverse for educators-in-training, AI applications in education and language acquisition and teaching, and distributed ledger technologies, with a focus on her 'Education for 2060' theme. In conclusion, my commitment extends beyond transactional interactions, focusing instead on utilizing my skills and privileges to make a positive, enduring impact on the world.