The New Empire of AI with Dr Rachel Adams [Ep. 39]

The Conflict Tipping Podcast

In this episode of the Conflict Tipping podcast, host Laura May welcomes Dr Rachel Adams, founder and CEO of the Global Center on AI Governance and author of The New Empire of AI: The Future of Global Inequality. Rachel’s book explores how AI is reshaping global inequalities and examines its historical ties to colonialism. Together, Laura and Rachel explore the complexities of AI governance, the AI divide, and the ethical challenges facing emerging technologies.

Key Highlights:

• [00:00:00] Rachel’s journey into AI and governance: From her PhD on transparency and surveillance to becoming a global thought leader on AI governance, Rachel shares her professional journey.

• [00:05:10] Why isn't AI transparent?: What makes AI systems so complex and why transparency in AI remains a critical and elusive goal.

• [00:08:16] AI, inequality, and colonialism: How AI’s development and supply chains echo historical patterns of extraction and exploitation, and its disproportionate impact on the Global South.

• [00:18:21] The AI divide: Examining the stark disparities in access to AI technologies and their benefits, and the resulting social and economic inequalities.

• [00:23:26] Who does the work, and where?: Exploring the human cost of AI production, from data labelling to e-waste, and the economic challenges for workers in the Global South.

• [00:28:36] AI governance and policy-makers: The need for international regulation, capacity-building in the Global South/Global Majority Countries, and empowering oversight institutions to create fairer systems.

• [00:36:35] What can we do to help?: Concrete steps for individuals to support more equitable AI development and the importance of raising awareness about AI’s impact on global inequality.

• [00:40:53] Where to learn more?: Connect with Rachel--and buy her book!

Links:

• The New Empire of AI: The Future of Global Inequality by Rachel Adams (Polity Press): Available Here (Polity Press), Amazon US (hardback releasing January 2025, Kindle already available), Amazon UK (hardback releasing November 22), Waterstones
• Global Center on AI Governance: globalcenter.ai
• African Observatory on Responsible AI: africanobservatory.ai
• Follow Rachel on LinkedIn and Twitter/X

Key Takeaway: Dr Rachel Adams argues that AI’s inequalities cannot be fully understood without recognising their roots in colonialism. Her book challenges us to rethink AI’s role in society and invites us to join the conversation about building a more equitable future.