Roy Lilley is an experienced (by which I mean old enough to be retired) NHS manager who writes a daily email on health management-related issues that I subscribe to because, whilst I do not always agree with what he has to say, there is sufficient to make me call again, and I like the way he says it.
This morning, he discusses AI and dismisses a great deal of what we already think of as AI as not being anything of the sort, useful as it is.
He also suspects that we are further from true AI than most suspect. So, he muses on why there was such a fuss made of the issue last week, leading to that quite hideous job interview when Sunak begged Musk for a role in California post-2024. This is his suggestion:
There's a very disturbing psychological disorder called Munchausen by proxy in which a care giver;
‘… exaggerates, fabricates, or induces illness in another person in order to get praise, for then helping the victim.'
The Harvard Business Review proposes, 'Munchausen-in-the-Workplace'.
A three year study of team behaviour in more than 30 companies across industries, found managers who created problems, so they could be praised for heroically fixing them.
So, is Rishi Sunak's heroic assemblage of the great and the good, to fight the 'threat of AI'… a bit of political Munchausen?
Why is he disproportionately involved in leading the ‘battle'?
Well, we stopped thinking about;
- interest rates,
- the housing crisis,
- food poverty,
- the debacle in social care,
- Ukraine,
- the Middle East,
- NHS waiting times,
- crime and policing,
- the up-shot of Brexit,
- migration,
- flooded houses,
- education
- the cost of fuel
- and the pretty grubby behaviour of some of the Tory Party over the last week.
If it's not Munchausen…
... it's using the 'machinery' of government communication in a simple piece of ...
... misdirection.
That's why it's worth my while noting what he has to say, because I think that is spot on.
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Given the polling evidence that the Tory Party is being rejected by increasing number of voters because of the dismal effects of their policies and their own inability to change their ideological approach it makes sense for them to adopt distraction for an electorate they hold in intellectual contempt anyway!
Absolutely agree.
A lot of what is described as AI is in fact the attempt to apply the sum of human intelligence.
On your wider point, the government are ideologues whose ideology has been proven not to work
The government therefore tinkers with issues/policies that are one or more of: easy, made up, divisive, low cost.
The reason they do so is that they have no talent for delivery/are ideologically opposed to the solutions required.
Munchausen is a good description of Sunak and Musk.
It was telling who was and was not invited to the Bletchley fest. Journalists, civil society and people with deep understanding of the subject all kept out. As opposed to the techbros, AI enthusiasts, financiers who stand to make a bomb and supportive politicos.
And Roy Lilley is well worth following. His blog is grounded in a deep understanding of and care for the NHS, with a pragmatic view of management and organisation and concerns for people – both NHS workers and patients. He also calls out politicians of whatever colour in no uncertain terms.
Its here:
https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Misdirection.html?soid=1102665899193&aid=iFBqRaWq5eE
Agreed.
This is what Sunak should be sorting out:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/nov/05/uk-poverty-levels-simply-not-acceptable-says-un-envoy-olivier-de-schutter
Any ideas about what the Labour party has to say about this anyone?
Shameful.
It’s a distraction tactic right enough – the latest political “dead cat”.