Hi everyone, today I want to talk about an important lesson on product safety and consumer protection, inspired by a tragic event. Recently, I was reminded of a Congressional candidate in Massachusetts, Nadia Milleron, whose daughter was killed in the 2016 Ethiopian Airlines crash involving a Boeing 737 Max. This tragedy not only devastated 157 families but also reignited the conversation around safety in product development.
What makes Nadia’s story even more compelling is her connection to her uncle, Ralph Nader—an iconic figure in consumer safety. Nader, who gained fame in the 1960s for his groundbreaking work Unsafe at Any Speed, transformed the auto industry. His efforts revealed that car manufacturers were prioritizing profits over lives by ignoring safety features like seatbelts. His book sparked the creation of the U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration—landmark developments that saved countless lives.
But Nader’s advocacy didn’t stop at cars. He co-authored Collision Course in 1993, warning about the dangers of deregulation in the airline industry. Sadly, even with his efforts, safety issues within Boeing were overlooked, leading to the two fatal 737 Max crashes.
So why does this matter today? As we enter the age of artificial intelligence, the lessons from Nader’s fight for safety are more relevant than ever. Just as hidden dangers in cars and planes went unchecked, we now face a similar challenge with AI. From healthcare to aviation, AI is increasingly involved in decision-making. The potential for innovation is enormous, but so are the risks if safety and ethics aren’t prioritized.
We must demand transparency, testing, and regulation as AI continues to develop. The stakes are high, but if we learn from history, we can build a future where technology serves humanity, not the other way around. The tragedies of the past remind us of the importance of being proactive.
By advocating for ethical innovation in AI, we honor the legacies of Ralph Nader and Nadia Milleron, and we ensure that tragedies like the 737 Max crashes are not repeated. The future is in our hands—let’s steer it toward safety and accountability.
