The Way Forward For AI: Learning From The Elephant & The Blind Men

Policy

from the a-new-vision dept

This series of posts explores how we can rethink the intersection of AI, creativity, and policy. From examining outdated regulatory metaphors to questioning copyright norms and highlighting the risks of stifling innovation, each post addresses a different piece of the AI puzzle. Together, they advocate for a more balanced, forward-thinking approach that acknowledges the potential of technological evolution while safeguarding the rights of creators and ensuring AI’s development serves the broader interests of society.

Let’s start with the original metaphor of the six blind men and the elephant. In this classic Indian tale, each man feels a different part of the elephant—one touches the tusk and declares it’s a spear, another grabs the tail and swears it’s a rope, and so on. Each is convinced they’ve got the whole picture, but in reality, they’re missing the full scope of the elephant because they refuse to share their perspectives.

Now, let’s apply this to AI regulation. Imagine six policymakers, each with a firm grip on their own slice of the AI puzzle. One is fixated on privacy, another sees only risks, while yet another is laser-focused on copyright. But as a result, their narrow focus is leaving the broader picture woefully incomplete. And that, my friends, is where the trouble begins.

Accepting the Challenge of Innovation

AI is so much more than just a collection of legal headaches. It’s a powerful, transformative force. It’s revolutionizing industries, supercharging creativity, driving research, and solving problems we couldn’t have even dreamed of a few years ago. It’s not just a new avenue for academics to write articles—it’s a tool that could unlock incredible potential, pushing the boundaries of human creativity and innovation.

But what happens when we regulate it with tunnel vision? When we obsess over the tail and ignore the rest of the elephant? We end up stifling the very innovation we should be encouraging. The piecemeal approach doesn’t just miss the bigger picture—it risks handcuffing the future of AI, limiting its capacity to fuel new discoveries and reshape industries for the better.

By focusing solely on risks and potential copyright or privacy violations, we’re leaving research, creativity, and innovation stranded. Think of the breakthroughs AI could help us achieve: revolutionary advances in healthcare, educational tools that adapt to individual learners, creative platforms that democratize access to artistic expression. AI isn’t just a regulatory problem to be tackled—it’s a massive opportunity. And unless policymakers start seeing the whole elephant, we’re going to end up trampling the very future we’re trying to protect.

So, What’s the Way Forward?

We need to rethink our approach. AI, especially generative AI, can offer immense societal benefits—but only if we create policies that reflect its potential. Over-focusing on copyright claims or letting certain stakeholders dominate the conversation means we end up putting brakes on the very technology that could drive our next era of progress.

Imagine if, in the age of the Gutenberg Press, we had decided to regulate printing so heavily to protect manuscript copyists that books remained rare and knowledge exclusive. We wouldn’t be where we are today. The same logic applies to AI. If we make it impossible for AI to learn, to explore vast amounts of data, to create based on the expressions of humanity, we will end up in a data winter—a future where AI, stifled and starved of quality input, fails to reach its true potential.

AI chatbots, creative tools, and generative models have shown that they can be both collaborators and catalysts for human creativity. They help artists brainstorm, assist writers in overcoming creative blocks, and enable non-designers to visualize their ideas. By empowering people to create in new ways, AI is democratizing creativity. But if we let fears over copyright overshadow everything else, we risk shutting down this vibrant new avenue of cultural expression before it even gets started.

Seeing the Whole Elephant

The task of policymaking is challenging, especially with emerging technologies that shift as rapidly as AI. But the answer isn’t to clamp down with outdated regulations to preserve the status quo for a few stakeholders. Instead, it’s to foster an environment where innovation, creativity, and research can flourish alongside reasonable protections. We must encourage fair compensation for creators (and let’s not forget they should not be equated to the creative industry) while ensuring that AI can access the data it needs to evolve, innovate, and inspire.

The metaphor of the blind men and the elephant serves as a clear warning: if we only see a part of the elephant, we can only come up with partial solutions. It’s time to step back and view AI for what it truly is—a powerful, transformative force that, if used wisely, can uplift our societies, enhance our creativity, and tackle challenges that once seemed impossible.

The alternative is to regulate AI into irrelevance by focusing only on a single aspect. We need to see the whole elephant—understand AI in its entirety—and allow it to shape a future where human creativity, innovation, and progress thrive together.

Caroline De Cock is a communications and policy expert, author, and entrepreneur. She serves as Managing Director of N-square Consulting and Square-up Agency, and Head of Research at Information Labs. Caroline specializes in digital rights, policy advocacy, and strategic innovation, driven by her commitment to fostering global connectivity and positive change.

Filed Under: ai, copyright, creativity, creativity and ai, innovation, llms