Do We Need To Calm Down About AI? An Intellectual Property and YTT Convo w/ Melissa Adylia Calasanz.
So there are definitely some ethics things we need to talk about in regards to AI. Intellectual property rights have long been an issue in the yoga space (I can’t be the only one who has had stuff blatantly stolen), and this issue carries over to AI.
Key Takeaways:
*Labor unions are a particular love of mine. I have a deep desire to see us collectively organize within North America so that we can be better informed and advocate for ourselves in the world. I think this is especially important for us in the yoga therapy space as we slide into so many different and diverse places that seek to use our tools (like meditation, breathwork, and lifestyle and philosophy principles) to improve the live for humans they see and interact with.
*Why would you work so hard to be part of a system that isn’t working??? YES. This can be true for healthcare, toxic yoga studio spaces, and training programs that are not run ethically. Don’t get me wrong, I *totally* have been a part of a toxic yoga space, but the desire that yoga and yoga therapy as an industry has to integrate into a system that isn’t looking to the best interest of the humans who use it, is…well…not us. Some might call it gross or appropriative, even.
*Let’s talk about this idea of AI not being able to generate a personalized program. I think that it won’t be too long before AI absolutely can do that. And I mean, like, next Tuesday. So what else are we offering besides the ability to personalize a program? Maybe it is less about the personalization of the program and more about being seen as a whole person by another human in front of you.
*The joy of the struggle is something that has come up several times on this series, and was first mentioned in episode one by J Brown. There IS something to us struggling through finding ideas, and learning to be a better yoga professional. I can now say, with confidence, that I have done everything there is to do in the yoga space. Yoga teacher, therapist, studio owner, non-profit founder, trainer, writer, speaker. Do we have an EGOT? Cuz I think I have it. And no matter the number of times people have asked me “how did you do all that”, my answer is always “be so good your work is undeniable”. And you don’t get good if you don’t struggle.
*The perspective that Melissa brings about yoga therapy and hours of work per week is a really important one. She is right—most yoga therapists are working at max 15 hours a week. Because the work is incredibly difficult, especially as we strive to be incredibly present with our clients. So maybe we need to be discussing that a little bit more as an industry whole, eh?
*YOGA HAS A POVERTY PROBLEM. This is gonna be a key takeaway every time I say it on the podcast. The difference between poverty and scarcity is this:
*Using AI to create trainings!! How are the organizations that certify our trainings and making sure that they are actual humans writing training manuals? As Melissa said, “doing the work is a part of your profession as an ethical human being”. Yeah, that times 20000.
*Protecting our intellectual property is something that we should be talking about and training our students about. Maybe I should find someone to consult and make best practices for intellectual property management for the yoga community, eh? That feels like something we desperately need.
*Our humanity and connection with each other will be something that is not replicable by tech or AI. If you have ever interacted with an LLM (large language model) AI, you will notice that they are programmed for likeability. Have you ever thought to yourself, “This is the most girly-pop AI I have ever met?”. I sure have. But true likeability and connection don’t feel false, true trust involves questioning people’s thought process if they need it, and being truly seen and known as a human is something that is a core need of all people.
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