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SUMMARY:Capitalism and AI: How can we turn their invention against them?
DESCRIPTION:AI is a product of capitalism—but can it be weaponised against it?\nJoin Jeff Xiong and Max Lane for a public discussion on how socialists can confront capitalist technology with revolutionary strategy. From ideological struggle to practical tools\, we ask: how do we build our own machinery to fight theirs?\n\nSPEAKERS:\n\nJEFF XIONG – How can socialists use AI to fight capitalism?\nWill comment on strategic approaches for socialists and progressives engaging with Artificial Intelligence. Beyond identifying AI’s inherent ideological leanings\, we explore the opportunity to actively reshape AI’s narrative capabilities. This involves embedding our own ideological frameworks\, such as a Marxist perspective\, to challenge dominant discourses and promote alternative viewpoints. AI emerges as a potent instrument for expanding the ideological reach of socialist movements. These strategic considerations make it necessary for the Left to critically harness AI’s power\, with further resources available for those wishing to explore practical applications.\n\nMAX LANE – “The Battle of Ideas”: fighting ideological hegemony in late capitalism\nIn the third century of capitalism and the second century of imperialism\, capitalism’s ideological hegemony has deepened but is increasingly cracking on its edifice. Capitalism’s ideological strength\, like capitalism itself\, stands on contradictions. Wifi\, the internet\, social media and even Artificial Intelligence are all tools invented under capitalism and used for strengthening capitalism. So too were newspapers\, radio and television. A lesson of the history of the socialist movement is that it must answer capitalism’s ideological hegemony with a serious battle of ideas. This means using all the tools created under capitalism to subvert its logic. A constant and systematic subversion of capitalism’s “logic”\, irrationalities and lies also helps socialists organise. The organised propaganda work can be the scaffolding of a movement. While a socialist movement’s strength comes from organisation and mobilisation\, what underpins that strengths is a shared clarity in understanding the world which also requires our own ideological machinery. But that is a big job and will require a big organisation.\n— \n\nIn person:\n4pm Saturday June 7\nRoom G01\, Alan Gilbert Building\, University of Melbourne\n161 Barry St Carlton \nOnline:\nhttps://us02web.zoom.us/j/87426577847?pwd=gKF40llauuCxJtTwZSkpLLgE2ufEpa.1\nMeeting ID: 874 2657 7847\nPasscode: 279459 \n\n—\nJeff Xiong (Xiong Jie) is a researcher at the International Communication Research Institute\, East China Normal University\, and Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. His expertise encompasses digital transformation and international communication with a current focus on sovereign AI and the digital sovereignty of the Global South. His publications include the Chinese translation of “Cybernetic Revolutionaries” and “A History of Agile in China\,” an industrial history research of China’s ICT sector.\n\nMax Lane is a member of the RED SPARK National Executive and has been centrally involved since its initial steps in 2022. He was previously active in the Socialist Workers Party/Democratic Socialist Party (1981-2007)\, including almost 15 years full-time from 1990 to 2007. In the DSP Max headed up Asia-Pacific solidarity work and sometimes served as Editor of Green Left Weekly and of Party Campaigner. In the 1980s he was active in solidarity with the Indonesian and Philippines democracy movements and during the 1990s\, he was National Coordinator of Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor. In 2024\, in Dili\, Max was awarded the Medal of Honour of Timor Leste for these contributions. He writes for red-spark.org on Australian politics\, political theory and fighting imperialism and is author of several books on Indonesian history published by Verso\, Penguin and Seagull books.
URL:https://red-spark.org/event/capitalism-and-ai-how-can-we-turn-their-invention-against-them/
LOCATION:Alan Gilbert Building\, Rm G01 161 Barry Street Carlton\, Alan Gilbert Building\, Rm G01 161 Barry Street Carlton\, Melbourne\, Victoria\, 3053\, Australia
CATEGORIES:Unimelb Forum
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DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20240913T130000
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SUMMARY:Palestine and the Deep Links Between Academia and Imperialism
DESCRIPTION:Join us for the discussion of the University of Melbourne’s disclosure defence of its weapons ties. \nSuggested reading: “Melbourne University Palestine encampment highlights deep links between academia and imperialism\,” by Alex Morgan\, July 15th 2024.
URL:https://red-spark.org/event/palestine-and-the-deep-links-between-academia-and-imperialism/
LOCATION:Student Pavilion Room 205\, The University of Melbourne\, Victoria
CATEGORIES:Unimelb Forum
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