Harris sees AI as an 'existential' threat

After US President Biden's renunciation, Vice President Kamala Harris could become the Democratic Party's presidential candidate. For a long time, they and their positions were hardly visible. This could now change. On economic policy issues, Harris has clearly positioned herself. A summary.

Advocate for Data Protection

In 2012, as California's Attorney General, Harris sued the eBay corporation over anticompetitive hiring practices related to a non-solicitation agreement with the software company Intuit. This lawsuit resulted in a settlement of nearly four million dollars in 2014. In 2015, Harris forced the startup Houzz to appoint a data protection officer. Previously, allegations had surfaced that the app for home design had recorded sales conversations without proper notice and consent.

One of her main concerns was to limit the distribution of pornography on social media. This is particularly important for so-called "revenge porn," a practice where photos are published without the consent of the affected parties. Harris earned her stripes in this campaign.

The pressure led Meta, Google, Microsoft, and other tech giants to take measures to remove certain images. "I cannot stress enough how leading technology companies have engaged," Harris said at a press conference at the time. "I'm not saying that one of them was thrilled to receive a call from the Attorney General saying, 'Come in, we want to talk.' But they all did."

Familiar with Big Tech

As a candidate for the office of Attorney General in California, Harris reportedly assured potential donors that she was "a capitalist." The 59-year-old is generally familiar with prominent tech managers and investors - the local industry in her hometown Bay Area. She attended the wedding of Sean Parker, a former Facebook manager. Her brother-in-law Tony West is the chief lawyer at Uber.

Harris took donations from Reid Hoffman, a prominent venture capitalist and co-founder of the career platform LinkedIn, as well as from billionaire John Doerr and venture capitalist Ron Conway. The leaders of the major tech companies also supported her, including Sheryl Sandberg, then COO of Facebook, and billionaire Marc Benioff, CEO of the software company Salesforce.

Three Billion for Climate Protection

Harris' positions on climate and energy are similar to Biden's. However, during her career, she has clearly stated that clean energy and environmental justice are a priority for her. When Biden announced Harris as his vice presidential candidate for the 2020 White House race, he emphasized her tough stance against the oil industry. Biden referred to lawsuits that Harris had filed as District Attorney of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011 and as Attorney General of California until January 2017, when she became a Senator.

Last year, Harris made her debut at international climate negotiations, pledged a commitment of three billion dollars for the Green Climate Fund (GCF), and gave her first major international speech on the climate issue. As Vice President, Harris was also involved in implementing political measures of environmental regulatory agencies. These agencies deal with long-standing issues of environmental justice, such as a multibillion-dollar program to replace lead pipes and lead paint in the country.

Harris: AI could "endanger human existence"

As Vice President, Harris has explicitly expressed her views on artificial intelligence (AI) in a notable manner. In a speech in November 2023, she warned about the "existential" threat posed by AI, stating that it could "endanger humanity's existence."

During meetings with tech managers like Satya Nadella of Microsoft, Sam Altman of OpenAI, and Sundar Pichai of Google, Harris emphasized her "moral responsibility" to protect against potential AI risks. Harris supported a proposed AI regulation by Biden, which aims to provide stronger consumer protection. This regulation particularly focuses on AI scam calls and the effects of unlabeled, AI-generated content.

With the United States Presidency Election 2024 approaching, the possibility of Vice President Kamala Harris becoming the Democratic Party's presidential candidate arises, following President Joe Biden's potential renunciation.
On climate protection, Harris shares similar views as Biden and has been vocal about her prioritization of clean energy and environmental justice, as evident in her role in lawsuits against the oil industry and her pledge of three billion dollars to the Green Climate Fund.
During her tenure as Vice President, Harris has expressed concerns about the potential threats posed by artificial intelligence (AI), warning of its "existential" danger to human existence, and has advocated for stronger consumer protection regulations to address AI risks, such as AI scam calls and unlabeled, AI-generated content.