Oprah Winfrey is taking her signature interviewing style to the world of AI, inviting some of the biggest names in technology and policy for a new TV special.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates, FBI Director Christopher Wray and more will all appear to discuss and demonstrate AI with Winfrey. “AI and the Future of Us” airs on ABC on September 12 at 8 p.m. ET and streams the following day on Hulu. Winfrey’s special is designed to demystify AI and explore how it will impact our lives.
Altman will explain the basics of AI, then Gates will expand on the changes AI could bring to education, healthcare and other sectors, and Wray will discuss what AI means for law enforcement and national security.
For a more hands-on demonstration of the capabilities of AI, YouTube creator and technologist Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) will showcase existing products with AI already built in. She will also discuss the growing influence of digital content creators in educating the public about technology, including AI. Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin, co-founders of the Center for Humane Technology, will discuss ethical issues surrounding AI with Winfrey, as will Pulitzer Prize-winning author Marilynne Robinson.
“AI. It can either fascinate you or terrify you. Or if you’re like me, it can do both,” Winfrey explains in her promo for the show. “So, let’s take a breath and learn more about it. I’ve gathered some of the country’s top experts to answer all of our questions.”
Oprah AI
“AI and the Future of Us” comes at a time when AI is rapidly becoming more capable and powerful, while also facing increasing criticism and concerns about how it could negatively impact the world. Given the lineup of influential speakers and the current public interest in AI, “AI and the Future of Us” is likely to attract a broad audience.
Oprah Winfrey’s involvement is perhaps the biggest sign that AI is becoming mainstream. The way she presents AI can influence many people as they develop their own opinions about it. By devoting a primetime slot to the topic, ABC and Winfrey are acknowledging the growing importance of AI and the need for informed public debate.