AI golems and the acceleration of sustainability ambitions in ASEAN: a commentary on the role of predictive analytics in eliminating misuse


· 11 min read
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, is located in the heart of Southeast Asia, a region rich in diversity, lively cultures, and, increasingly, a burning desire for sustainability. ASEAN's commitment to sustainable development has grown in recent years, owing to the pressing need to solve environmental concerns while promoting economic growth.
The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Golems has the potential to change ASEAN's quest for sustainability. These AI entities are capable of analysing massive datasets, forecasting outcomes, and optimising complicated processes—exactly what is required to address the numerous issues of sustainability. AI Golems open up a new world of possibilities, from optimising renewable energy generation to controlling vital water resources.
With enormous power, however, comes great responsibility. Misuse of AI Golems could disrupt carefully planned sustainability strategies. The threat of artificial intelligence being utilised for surveillance, weaponization, or resource exploitation looms enormous. It has the ability to shift AI's capabilities away from beneficial goals and towards negative ones.
To ensure the acceleration of ASEAN's sustainability aspirations, predictive analytics appears as a ray of hope. The region can detect and prevent the exploitation of AI Golems by employing predictive analytics, ensuring that these advanced technologies remain faithful allies in accomplishing sustainability goals. Predictive analytics enables ASEAN to proceed with prudence, responsibility, and a dedication to maintaining the delicate balance of social, economic, and environmental justice.
In the context of artificial intelligence and technology, AI Golems are inspired by the concept of the Golem in Jewish folklore. A Golem is a creature created of inanimate stuff, usually clay or mud, that is brought to life by mystical or magical means. Similarly, AI Golems are a type of artificial intelligence distinguished by many crucial characteristics:
In essence, AI Golems represent the revolutionary capacity of artificial intelligence to construct intelligent, purpose-driven beings capable of doing tasks that benefit society and numerous businesses. However, their development and application necessitate careful consideration of the ethical, legal, and societal ramifications.
AI Golems have found applications across ASEAN, including agriculture, energy, and transportation. Precision agriculture, for example, increases crop yields while utilising fewer resources. McKinsey predicts that AI adoption in Southeast Asia will contribute up to $1 trillion to the region's GDP by 2030, underscoring the role of AI in economic growth and sustainability.
Sustainability goals hold paramount importance in the ASEAN region due to its susceptibility to climate change. The Asia Pathways report highlights that AI can play a transformative role in achieving these goals. Here's why sustainability goals are crucial:
AI Golems have enormous potential for advancing ASEAN's environmental goals. They excel at optimising renewable energy systems and lowering transportation emissions:
AI Golems are a green intelligence catalyst in ASEAN, optimising renewable energy, lowering emissions in transportation, and contributing to sustainability in a variety of sectors. Their applications demonstrate the region's environmental and sustainability goals' transformative potential.
AI Golems, while promising for sustainability in ASEAN, pose challenges related to misuse. These challenges include:
Misuse of AI Golems has profound implications for sustainability and social justice in ASEAN:
Sustainability: Misuse of AI Golems can stymie ASEAN's sustainability initiatives. AI, for example, can be extremely useful in optimising renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. However, if AI Golems are used for harmful purposes, the development and implementation of sustainable energy solutions may be jeopardised. This diversion of AI's potential away from sustainability could stymie progress towards the environmental goals mentioned in papers such as Asia Pathways.
Furthermore, AI may be utilised to improve agricultural practises, resulting in increased food security in ASEAN countries. Misuse of AI in agriculture, such as utilising AI-powered drones for negative reasons, could result in environmental damage and food scarcity, threatening the region's sustainability.
Social justice: Unchecked usage of AI Golems has the potential to aggravate inequality in ASEAN. For example, using AI for surveillance without sufficient monitoring can have a disproportionate impact on marginalised people. These communities may experience heightened surveillance and invasions of privacy, resulting in social injustice.
Furthermore, the weaponization of AI Golems has the potential to intensify conflicts and further marginalise vulnerable communities. In the case of autonomous weapon systems, the lack of human supervision can result in indiscriminate harm, disproportionately hurting vulnerable people.
The social justice principle embedded in ASEAN's sustainability ambitions necessitates not only responsible AI technology development but also strong governance and regulatory mechanisms to ensure that AI Golems are used for the benefit of all, without discrimination or harm to marginalised groups.
The media frequently focuses on the misuse of AI rather than the culpability of those who misuse it. This tendency might hide the importance of strong governance and accountability procedures to prevent misappropriation. According to Reuters, Southeast Asia's recent endeavour to build an AI governance code indicates efforts to solve this dilemma and ensure responsible AI usage in the region.
While AI Golems have the potential to advance ASEAN sustainability, the risk of misuse needs vigilance, ethical concerns, and governance frameworks to ensure their responsible deployment and defend social fairness.
Predictive analytics is the process of identifying the likelihood of future outcomes based on past trends using historical data, statistical algorithms, and machine learning approaches. Predictive analytics can be extremely useful in preventing misuse of AI Golems. It can analyse AI-generated data to discover odd or potentially hazardous patterns of conduct.
For example, if an AI Golem employed for surveillance begins to exhibit patterns of over-monitoring or unfairly targeting specific groups, predictive analytics might indicate these behaviours as potential misuse.
Predictive analytics has been widely used in a variety of industries to improve decision-making and avoid unfavourable consequences. It is used in healthcare to forecast illness outbreaks and patient readmissions. It aids in the detection of fraudulent transactions in finance. Predictive analytics has been used in the agricultural industry in ASEAN to forecast crop yields, allowing for better resource allocation and food security planning. It has also been employed in traffic management systems to predict congestion and optimise transportation networks, hence lowering emissions.
ASEAN may utilise predictive analytics to proactively monitor and manage AI Golem activity to ensure it aligns with sustainability goals and social justice principles, reducing the risk of misuse and accelerating progress towards a more sustainable future.
Member countries' governments are establishing a strategy to protect the use of generative AI, following authorities throughout the world in their attempts to prevent any risks associated with the technology, which is projected to be ready by the end of 2023. In February 2023, ministers from all ten ASEAN member countries agreed on the significance of adopting a set of governance and ethics guidelines for the region's over 700 million inhabitants. Their purpose is to reconcile the economic benefits of AI with its possible risks in order to enable the prudent and innovative deployment of AI technology in ASEAN.
Given its unique biological settings and socioeconomic problems, ASEAN prioritises sustainability. To fight climate change, promote clean energy, and ensure equitable development, the region has established ambitious sustainability goals. These objectives must be met in order for ASEAN's communities to thrive and its natural resources to be preserved.
AI Golems have enormous potential to accelerate ASEAN's sustainability aspirations. They can improve renewable energy systems, environmental monitoring, and resource management. Their misuse, however, poses a substantial threat to these goals, potentially turning AI's capabilities towards negative purposes such as monitoring or weaponization.
To protect ASEAN's environmental objective and promote social fairness, predictive analytics must be used as a tool for monitoring and regulating AI Golem conduct. Predictive analytics can spot misuse early by examining data patterns, allowing for preventive steps. I urge ASEAN governments, businesses, and AI developers to prioritise responsible AI Golem development and the use of predictive analytics into their AI systems.
ASEAN's road towards sustainability is inextricably linked to the proper creation and deployment of AI Golems. These technologies can be effective partners in attaining sustainability goals, but appropriate application through predictive analytics is required to avoid misuse and assure the region's brighter, more sustainable future.
illuminem Voices is a democratic space presenting the thoughts and opinions of leading Sustainability & Energy writers, their opinions do not necessarily represent those of illuminem.
illuminem briefings

Public Governance · Corporate Governance
illuminem briefings

Public Governance · Sustainable Mobility
illuminem briefings

Public Governance · Social Responsibility
Politico

Public Governance · Corporate Sustainability
Global Environment Fund

Sustainable Finance · Public Governance
Eco Business

Oil & Gas · Public Governance