Pledge, Prayer and 4-Way Test was led by Jessica Pilcher
Sergeants Report: Jessica
Card Game Winner: Cami
Raffle Winners: Cami, Maryann, Ed
Happy Bucks: Lots of bucks for the successful golf tournament Monday and the Chairman Charlie Renshaw!, Jan P for support of Rotarians, for everyone who helped out at the tournament, our guest, being here, daughter's engagement!
PROGRAM: John Waller, Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Nancy introduced our guest speaker, John Waller. John is a cybersecurity and AI consultant with more than 25 years experience across technology, software, cloud, security and risk. He holds a Masters Degree in AI and machine learning and is a CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) and advises organizations, including the US government on cybersecurity, emerging technology risk and responsible AI. John is the author of a book, THE UNCONSTRAINED MACHINE: HOW TO CONTROL AI BEFORE IT CONTROLS US. John is past president of the Mystic Rotary Club and currently Assistant Governor in District 7980 and Co-Chair of the District Peace Committee.
Today, John took us through AI Today: The Good, The Bad & The Scary, a practical look at what AI can do for us now, where it is already creating real problems, and why the next stage of AI deserves our attention.
AI is something almost everyone uses today knowingly and unknowingly. Search engines such as Google are using AI. It's important to know what it can do for us as a powerful tool with much potential for good. John has thought a lot about what it can do to help Rotary. After finishing the first draft of his book, new things would come out which would delay the finish. John asked, are we building controls as quickly as the benefits? AI can be a force multiplier for service by handling time consuming tasks normally done by humans, freeing up their time for more important things. Context, task constraints and action plans are done very quickly using AI.
There are 5 common sense rules that need to be followed. 1- You are responsible for the finished product. 2- Protecting private information. 3- Verifying important facts. 4- Be transparent (don't mislead). 5- Use it to support people, not replace them.
Adopt an AI Responsible Use Policy. AI can be brilliantly wrong. It can give wrong dates, provide wrong details - humans must check. Everyone must be prepared to question what they see online and don't believe everything you see and hear on the internet. Human voice cloning can be done using a remarkably small sample size which can lead to potential fraud. Weaknesses in systems' security can be exploited easily leading to large scale consequences. In the past, chatbots would answer questions, AI agents can take action. In the Hugging Face incident, the AI systems pursued objectives farther than intended. The head of Anthropic has cautioned that there is a 10% chance AI could cause human extinction by 2030. How? Engineered pandemics, loss of controls to life sustaining systems, race dynamics and gradual disempowerment. Once control has been ceded to AI, it is difficult to reclaim so policies must be developed now. Engineers are developing great capabilities but are falling short on constraint. We need the will to construct guardrails to this technology. The potential for good in protecting people - teaching literacy and so much more - is undeniable but humans must be kept responsible. Following his presentation, John took questions. His book comes out in 6 months.
President Pete Zucco:
Following our brainstorming session, results will be compiled and decisions on focus and direction will be forthcoming soon.
Nancy Morin:
Event: Sept. 24 at 6PM at Scotch Plains Restaurant
George Gainer, President of the Chester Rotary Club will lead "Rotary Builds Business" - a business networking opportunity. Admission is free. Rotary was started by business leaders in Chicago.
Event: MUSIC ACROSS BORDERS, An Evening with Cellist & Rotary Peace Fellow Diego Carneiro. Monday, Sept 24, 6:30PM at the Acton Library in Old Saybrook
Charlie Renshaw, Chairman Golf Tournament of Sept. 14
It was a beautiful day at the golf course! Charlie reports we had 66 golfers. 16 Rotarians came out to help run the event from registration, selling raffle tickets, setting up, watching the hole-in-1 holes and more. Charlie didn't have the final numbers yet - we have not received the bill from Fox Hopyard - but he reported that the raffle revenue was up 20% from last year - big thanks to Alan Poirier and John Giannini for taking charge of this. Mulligan sales were also up from last year. Unfortunately, there were 10 fewer golfers than last year. Sponsors were up (still waiting payment from 4). A financial report will be forthcoming soon.
Rosanne: Peace Pole Ceremony next Wednesday (Sept. 23) at 10:30Gardiner’s Landing Park at Saybrook Point, 150 College St, Old Saybrook
