AI sees you. Through an ever growing network of applications, microphones and cameras, data about your behavior is continuously collected almost wherever you are. We are getting accustomed to our digital trail being used to tailor ads and to make your Netflix binging more convenient. These things might seem harmless, but there is a reason why this kind of data is a commodity coveted by companies worldwide. With the increasing sophistication of AI, the information you leave behind makes you an easy target for all sorts of influences. Whom to befriend, what news to watch, what topics are more important, which arguments are valid. Eventually, this development will influence us — behavior and thoughts. When enough of us are being influenced in this way, society will also change.

This is why we need to ask not only what will happen in the future, but what we want to happen. If AI is controlling us – who is controlling AI?

The Institute for Futures Studies presents an educational movie introducing some of the issues surrounding AI.