BY KYLE LOVERN
Artificial intelligence, or AI, has some people concerned, including me. I am old school. However, I do love the internet and computers and how they have made some things better.
But it is weird when you surf the web for an item – for example, tennis shoes – then you start getting pop-up ads for that same item.
I will not have an “Alexa” device in my house. I think that is taking things too far. My wife recently had a weird encounter with one of these instruments at a relative’s house.
But when these computers and AI start thinking on their own and getting smarter and smarter – and could perhaps start making decisions on their own, that is scary. Many fear AI and what it is potentially capable of and even have anxiety from those worries.
It is science fiction coming to fruition.
Many of you have seen the movie “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968), where a computer named HAL takes over a space station. I won’t get into the entire script, but it does not end well for some of the astronauts.
Then you had the movie “Terminator,” where a cyborg (a robot that looks human) assassin was sent back in time, from 2029 to 1984, to kill Sarah Connor, whose unborn son will one day save mankind from extinction.
Some may think AI is still science fiction, but it is not. Machines and computers are getting smarter and, in some cases, thinking for themselves and doing more than they are programmed to do. Some robots are being built that eventually could be used as soldiers and in other jobs.
Let’s face it. We already have self-checkouts in many stores. That is eliminating the need for humans and taking away jobs. Some companies have a robot computer that goes down the aisle and takes inventory of their stock. These robot computers can monitor shelves and decide what needs to be stocked on store shelves or in warehouses.
If you are like me and others, you do not like machines that get too smart.
Computers can control power grids and water plants. But is that a good thing?
Not only are they taking jobs from humans, but do we really want them to have that much control over our livelihood?
Twitter CEO and tech billionaire Elon Musk told Tucker Carlson that AI would likely have a “significant influence” on future elections and called on the U.S. government to establish some level of oversight to sensibly regulate the rapidly emerging technology.
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO has been very outspoken about his concerns with AI and its associated dangers. Musk said in his recent interview with Carlson that he fears AI could lead to “civilization destruction” if mismanaged.
There is now “Chatbot,” a computer program designed to simulate conversation with human users, especially over the internet. So be careful who you converse with on the internet. You may think it is a human being when in reality it could be a robot.
Something else that concerns me is that there are AI programs that can write stories. You give them the topic, and they can use the computer and write a story with details in just minutes.
That’s going too far. Will AI take over reporting the news? Then will they control the news?
Spell-check programs are one thing, but these computers are doing more and more, making you feel they are “dumbing down society.”
Will your student who is late on a report or term paper simply let his AI computer program do his schoolwork? Some school systems are already getting away from teaching cursive writing.
I am old school when it comes to teaching our children. The basics of Reading, Writing and Arithmetic are still important.
They say most people will not need that in the future. All they will be doing is typing on a keyboard and iPhone.
The fear of the unknown has always been the case with technology from the wheel to flight and, more recently, the internet.
Is AI something we should be scared of? I do not think it is a conspiracy theory. We should be concerned.
Many advocate for precautionary measures to ensure future super-intelligent machines remain under human control. I wholeheartedly agree with that. We cannot give these computers more control than they already have.
(Kyle Lovern is a longtime journalist in the Tug Valley. He is now a retired freelance writer and columnist for the Mountain Citizen.)