The Future Of AI Is Too Important To Leave To Someone Else

The potential of artificial intelligence to improve productivity and solve complex problems is matched by its capacity to create significant social and ethical risks, according to Greg Salvato, CEO of TouchPoint One and founder of ApplicantPrime.

In a recent article for Forbes, Salvato argues that the greatest danger is not what we do not know about the technology, but what we already know and are willing to ignore.

He warns that the pattern of innovation delivering benefits alongside serious consequences, such as privacy violations and social manipulation, is likely to repeat with AI at an unprecedented speed and scale.

A History Of Repeated Mistakes

Salvato points to the history of the internet, smartphones, and social media as a cautionary tale for the current AI era.

He notes that while these technologies brought enormous benefits, they also led to serious consequences involving privacy, manipulation, and concentrated power.

These outcomes were often anticipated and debated long before becoming widespread, yet society frequently failed to act with sufficient urgency or coordination.

The Responsibility We Can't Delegate

A core concern for Salvato is the temptation to delegate not only work but also judgment and responsibility to machines.

He emphasizes that while tasks and execution can be delegated, the ultimate responsibility for the consequences of these decisions cannot be assigned to developers, executives, or policymakers alone.

He warns that even well-intentioned leaders can make individually rational decisions that produce collectively undesirable outcomes.

To counter this, Salvato calls for courage, independent judgment, discipline, and collective action to ensure that human welfare remains a central focus.

A Practical Responsibility Playbook

Salvato has developed a set of six practical principles to guide individuals in making responsible decisions about AI, requiring no special expertise to apply.

The first principle is understanding what you are enabling by considering who benefits and who bears the consequences before adopting or endorsing AI.

The second principle urges people to think for themselves and do their homework, questioning assumptions and verifying claims rather than automatically accepting assurances from technology providers or AI systems.

The third principle is exercising your influence by choosing an issue you understand and acting to make a difference, whether in your profession or community.

The fourth principle is refusing to delegate accountability, insisting on transparency and oversight when AI influences decisions affecting employment, healthcare, or fundamental rights.

The fifth principle is holding yourself accountable by establishing goals, evaluating outcomes, and acknowledging failures.

The final principle is participating and persisting, supporting credible research and holding institutions accountable through sustained engagement.

Compassion At Scale

Salvato draws on his experience in customer experience technology to illustrate the impact of AI on the workforce.

He founded ApplicantPrime to make meaningful career assistance more accessible, highlighting how individual acts of compassion can help people navigate career transitions in an AI-driven world.

However, he argues that generosity alone cannot address disruption across entire industries.

He calls for "compassion at scale," which means multiplying efforts to ensure human welfare influences decisions, incentives, and definitions of success.

Salvato concludes that while we cannot control every consequence of AI, we are not powerless to shape its future through our individual and collective choices.