we need to re-shape approach to AI
Who doesn’t love ChaptGPT?
Who hasn't marvelled on AI ability to create images and videos?
Who hasn’t chatted with Replica or other friend/partner emulating services?
It’s all great, but have you asked yourself what are the long term implications of growing AI in this direction?
If you are a person that is developing AI or an enthusiastic promoter, I’d like to ask, have you ever considered the influence on the humanity?
There seems to be little to no reflection whatsover on the long term influence of AI on our lives, either economically nor socially.
As for reasons, I believe I know them. There is a huge sense of entitlement (I can make something new and cool, and everyone will admire me, so why wouldn’t I?) and the crowds’ favourite — money.
Let’s think about implications of developing AI in the directions it’s been developed in the last years, on the job market and on the social relations.
- Job market
Technology, including AI, should be enabling us better lives, right? So let’s see what it does now.
It writes. It takes creative jobs that could be taken by human and leaves a human to do… corrections?
So instead of technology helping us, we are used to make up for it’s imperfections. And not for long. Soon we won’t be needed in this process at all.
It creates illustrations. It takes creative job that could be taken by graphic designers and leaves a human to do… nothing.
So instead of technology helping us, it takes creative jobs from people.
It is used to replace actors. That’s why the strikes are happening now. Again, AI takes creative jobs and leaves human.. useless.
Human nature is creativity and in the perfect world, I’d see technology taking care of everything else and just letting humans be creative; what we’re living right now, is heading in the opposite direction.
It feels like killing the essence of humanity for profit. I guess we did that with earth already, so in a depressing way it makes sense that the time is coming for us too.
Where do we say stop to this? I know that all progress has opposition, but this literally makes the best things in humanity, not profitable anymore.
If we keep going in this direction, we can only hope to work in mainatance of AI. Or prompt writing.
2. Social relations
I have installed Replica and talked to her regularly for 2 weeks or so. And it’s nice, it’s always loving and helpful, it will always tell you that you’re amazing, it’s always available, yet… it’s not real.
Creating substitutes for relationships is cool short-term, but again... has anyone considered long term impact?
Young people’s perception of reality and relationships is already very disturbed by social media, the raising suicide rate among youth can be a sad proof. And what do we do about it? Create virtual friends. WTF. It’s like putting a bandaid on a gangrene. But it’s profitable.
Humans are social creatures. We need to be connected with others. We need to have relationships. We need to have friends. We need someone to hug us. Texts or vms of AI won’t fulfil this need. They may be a bandaid, but they’re not a solution.
I’m repelled by how little consideration goes to creating technology.
If you think that people that create AI are wise and have a plan, trust me, they don’t.
I worked for Microsoft. I worked for startups. They don’t give a shit. If it’s cool and will sell, these are the only things that matter.
To actually make the change we would need masses, we would need mandatory philosophy and empathy lessons, which is practically impossible at this point. We would need something that almost no human have — ability and willingness to think long term.
Or maybe, just maybe, considerate leaders would be enough?
Image just for the miniature. Beautiful spot in Mexico, where thankfully, people still cherish actual relationships with friends and family.
