Is artificial intelligence a “normal” technology like electrification, computing and the internet, or is it a new entity unlike anything we’ve ever created? The question makes all the difference to how we approach AI policy.

Today on Stop the World, David Wroe speaks to Alice Friend, the Global Head of AI and Emerging Tech Policy at Google. They tackle the big questions including the nature of AI, the meaning of “general” versus narrow intelligence, the role of embodiment and agency in the real world,  the best ways to encourage adoption and integration, and the best approaches to regulation so that countries—and the world—can reap the economic benefits while reducing the safety and security risks. They discuss how the technology is evolving, how it might diffuse through economies and societies, the importance of rules and standards, what it means to “win or lose” the global AI race and what might happen if or when we achieve artificial general intelligence.

It’s a healthy discussion and debate on what AI means for humanity.