Source URL: https://www.theregister.com/2025/02/12/larry_ellison_wants_all_data/
Source: The Register
Title: Larry Ellison wants to put all America’s data, including people’s DNA, in one big Oracle system for AI to study
Feedly Summary: From the billionaire who said real-time surveillance is good for keeping us in check
If governments want AI to improve services and security for their citizens, then they need to put all their information in one place – even citizens’ genomic data – according to Larry Ellison, the Oracle database tycoon.…
AI Summary and Description: Yes
Summary: Larry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle, emphasizes the need for governments to consolidate their data—ranging from healthcare to infrastructure—into a unified database for effective AI implementation. This strategy could enhance public services but raises concerns about surveillance and privacy.
Detailed Description: The discussion led by Larry Ellison at the World Governments Summit highlights several critical points regarding the integration of AI within government services through comprehensive data consolidations:
– **Unified Data Framework**: Ellison argues that for AI to significantly improve public services, governments must centralize their data, including economic, spatial, and healthcare records, into a single database. This integration of all types of data—especially sensitive information like genomic data—is essential for the AI model to function effectively.
– **Use Cases for AI**: He illustrates potential benefits of such data consolidation, indicating that it could lead to:
– Enhanced healthcare by enabling personalized treatments.
– Improved agricultural practices through better prediction of crop yields and tailored advice for farmers.
– Streamlined management of social services and fraud detection.
– **Surveillance Concerns**: While promoting the benefits, Ellison acknowledges that the same systems could lead to pervasive surveillance, drawing parallels to historical government practices such as those revealed by Edward Snowden. He suggests that the AI could be utilized for real-time population monitoring, which raises ethical considerations.
– **Oracle’s Role**: Ellison positions Oracle as a major player ready to assist governments in realizing these AI-driven transformations, outlining investments such as:
– A $50 to $100 billion data center aimed at hosting powerful AI models.
– Participation in a significant project (Stargate) involving substantial investment in AI infrastructure in the U.S.
– **Implications for Security and Compliance Professionals**:
– With the gathering of extensive datasets, there is a heightened need for robust data protection measures to ensure compliance with privacy laws and regulations.
– The realization of real-time surveillance through AI necessitates ongoing discussions around ethical implications, governance, and the protection of citizen privacy.
In summary, Ellison’s comments underline the potential for AI to revolutionize government operations while also highlighting the critical security and ethical considerations that must be addressed as these technologies are implemented.