Jonathan MacDonald on Crafting a New Narrative in Big Tech Business

EP 254 - Jonathan is the Founder of SELF, a hyper-personal
AI-powered assistant that learns your personal preferences and
simplifies your life.


We talk about his concerns around the rise of AI, why there is a
need for an ethical alternative and how having a more moral
approach to business makes it harder to raise investment.


Jonathan also explains why he thinks tech platforms who don't
prioritise human rights over profit qualifies for the big bin of
bullshit.


Chapters:


00:00 Welcome to BWB


00:27 Meet Jonathan McDonald


01:08 Existential Threat of AI


01:55 Ethics of AI


03:48 Need for Ethical Guidelines in AI


05:32 Risks of AI in Military and Political Decisions


05:57 Dystopian Future of AI


10:42 Role of AI in Personal Life


10:54 Introducing 'Self': An Ethical AI Assistant


15:00 Business Model of 'Self'


18:53 Importance of Ethical Principles in Tech


21:01 Creeping Overton Window and Ethics


21:56 Dangers of Normalising Outrageous T&Cs


22:24 Genie's Out of the Bottle


22:48 The Struggle to Change: Why Don't We Stop?


23:06 Normalisation of Surrendering Personal Data


23:16 Vision for a New Social Network


23:48 Trust in Government and Privacy Concerns


24:16 Personal Experience with Stop and Search


25:25 Role of Self in Upholding Society and Safety


25:41 Mission of Self


26:04 Importance of Showing an Alternative


27:59 Bullshit in the Tech Industry


28:22 Struggle of Raising Funds for Ethical Tech


29:05 Ineffectiveness of Advertising


33:09 Role of Self in Career Advice and Personal Shopping


37:55 The Ultimate Value Proposition of Self


42:03 Investment Opportunity in Self


Jonathan's recommendations


Making Sense with Sam Harris (podcast)


Man's Search For Meaning - Viktor E. Frankl (book)


Rise Of Advanced Thought - Jonathan MacDonald (book)


businesswithoutbullshit.me


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