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Forever Chemicals, Forever Consequences: What PFAS Teaches Us About AI

Forever Chemicals, Forever Consequences: What PFAS Teaches Us About AI

Your Undivided Attention vor 1 Jahr

AI could unlock vast technological potential—if we do it right. Rob Bilott, who fought chemical giants over toxic PFAS, shares a cautionary tale: how the harms of new tech can go unchecked, and why we must align innovation with safety before it’s too late

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Artificial intelligence is set to unleash an explosion of new
technologies and discoveries into the world. This could lead to
incredible advances in human flourishing, if we do it well. The
problem? We’re not very good at predicting and responding to the
harms of new technologies, especially when those harms are
slow-moving and invisible.

Today on the show we explore this fundamental problem with Rob
Bilott, an environmental lawyer who has spent nearly three
decades battling chemical giants over PFAS—"forever chemicals"
now found in our water, soil, and blood. These chemicals helped
build the modern economy, but they’ve also been shown to cause
serious health problems.

Rob’s story, and the story of PFAS is a cautionary tale of why we
need to align technological innovation with safety, and mitigate
irreversible harms before they become permanent. We only have one
chance to get it right before AI becomes irreversibly entangled
in our society.

Your Undivided Attention is produced by
the Center for Humane Technology. Subscribe to our Substack
and follow us on X: @HumaneTech_.

Clarification: Rob referenced EPA regulations
that have recently been put in place requiring testing on new
chemicals before they are approved. The EPA under the Trump admin
has announced their intent to rollback this review process.

RECOMMENDED MEDIA

“Exposure” by Robert Bilott

ProPublica’s investigation into 3M’s production of PFAS

The FB study cited by Tristan

More information on the Exxon Valdez oil spill

The EPA’s PFAS drinking water standards

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Weaponizing Uncertainty: How Tech is Recycling Big Tobacco’s
Playbook

AI Is Moving Fast. We Need Laws that Will Too.

Former OpenAI Engineer William Saunders on Silence, Safety, and
the Right to Warn

Big Food, Big Tech and Big AI with Michael Moss

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