Due to current outsourcing being of data labeling, I think one of the issues you express in the post is very unlikely:
My general worry is that in future, the global south shall become the training ground for more harmful AI projects that would be prohibited within the Global North. Is this something that I and other people should be concerned about?
Maybe there’s an argument about how:
current practices are evidence that AI companies are trying to avoid following the laws (note I mostly don’t believe this),
and this is why they’re outsourcing parts of development,
so then we should be worried they’ll do the same to get around other (safety-oriented) laws.
This is possible, but my best guess is that low wages are the primary reason for current outsourcing.
Additionally, as noted by Larks, outsourcing data-centers is going to be much more difficult, or at least take a long time, compared to outsourcing data-labeling, so we should be less worried that companies could effectively get around laws by doing this.
You’re 100% correct. It is data labelling (an oversight on my part)
Due to current outsourcing being of data labeling, I think one of the issues you express in the post is very unlikely:
Maybe there’s an argument about how:
current practices are evidence that AI companies are trying to avoid following the laws (note I mostly don’t believe this),
and this is why they’re outsourcing parts of development,
so then we should be worried they’ll do the same to get around other (safety-oriented) laws.
This is possible, but my best guess is that low wages are the primary reason for current outsourcing.
Additionally, as noted by Larks, outsourcing data-centers is going to be much more difficult, or at least take a long time, compared to outsourcing data-labeling, so we should be less worried that companies could effectively get around laws by doing this.