150. On AI & Society: Does More Data Mean Better Decisions? / Caroline Carruthers

In this episode, I speak with Caroline Carruthers, an award-winning data expert and co-founder of global data consultancy Carruthers and Jackson. She was one of the first women to take on the role of Chief Data Officer in the UK public sector for Network Rail and has worked across multiple industries to build data capability from the ground up, delivering real change to each organisation around how they valued their data as an asset.

Caroline has authored several best-selling books on the role of data in organisations, including the renowned “Chief Data Officer’s Playbook” and the bestselling “Data Driven Business Transformation.”

Working alongside her co-author, and co-founder of Carruthers and Jackson, Peter Jackson, Caroline now consults public, private and charity sector organisations around the world on how to get the most out of their data.

Caroline was named one of the top 20 inspirational female role models in data by The Female Lead in 2018 and won Computing’s Rising Stars Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2020 for her work consulting major international organisations on their data operations.

SUMMARY

In this conversation, Nathalie Nahai and Caroline Carruthers explore the evolving role of data and AI in society, discussing the balance between information overload and meaningful insights. They discuss the ethical implications of data usage, the importance of human oversight in AI, and the need for transparency in data sharing. The dialogue also touches on creativity, the relationship between art and technology, and the significance of curiosity in navigating the complexities of modern life. Ultimately, they emphasise the importance of finding beauty and meaning in both the creative process and the challenges we face in a data-driven world.

WEBSITES

https://carruthersandjackson.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-carruthers-22b9423/

BOOKS & RESOURCES

The AI Con (https://thecon.ai/) - Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna

Factfulness (https://amzn.to/4jW5Yyc) – Hans Rosling

Eloise Gillow - https://www.eloisegillow.com/about

Blanche Ellis - https://blancheellis.com/

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction to Data and Ethics

01:34 The Evolution of Data Usage

04:32 The Global Human Psyche and Data

07:38 The Dilemma of Information Overload

10:28 AI and Human Productivity

13:42 Challenges in AI Adoption

16:38 Understanding AI Tools

19:38 Ethics and AI in Healthcare

22:34 The Trolley Problem and AI Ethics

32:06 Navigating AI in Traffic Situations

33:58 Human Empathy vs. AI Decision-Making

35:00 Anthropomorphizing AI: The Risks and Realities

37:14 The Importance of Human Oversight in AI

38:59 Curiosity as a Key to AI Understanding

41:19 Creating Space for Creativity in Organizations