At what point did Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz actually get his brain? It’s hard to say, but right now there is a lot of discussion in the media about artificial intelligence, or AI. Specifically, the ChatGPT platform by OpenAI.com. This Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) has taken the world by storm, but will it take over the world?
Just for fun, I asked ChatGPT “Are you SkyNet?” referring to the cloud-based computer system in the movie Terminator that takes over the world. It stated SkyNet was just a work of fiction. To which I responded, “That’s exactly what I would expect SkyNet to say.” Joking aside, there are a lot of fears as to how these programs will shape society. But are we right to be fearful?
OpenAI launched its website in November of 2022. By December, it had 57 million users! So, with this much usage, it is easy to say artificial intelligence is here to stay. Though, it will change how some industries conduct business.
But it’s nothing new. If you have recently chatted with customer service online or received a phone call trying to sell a vacation package, there is a good chance you were interacting with AI. I ask them to describe anything sexy they may be wearing. That way, if they hang up, I know it was a real person.
Consider Grammarly, the writing software. It’s a form of artificial intelligence that has been on the scene for over a decade. Unlike a simple spell-check that searches for misspelled words, it considers the CONTEXT in which each sentence was written. It seeks to understand what an author is trying to convey.
But there is a certain amount of trepidation with how fast this particular website has grown in popularity. Even Elon Musk and many other tech professionals are calling for a “pause” to study the ramifications of how it will affect society. A pause would be a temporary cessation for the rest of us to catch up. I appreciate the sentiment, but the algorithms are ever-learning. It also won’t deter Russia or China fr
om developing their own programs. AI doesn’t work like that and neither does humanity.
One of the biggest concerns is the loss of jobs. I believe artificial intelligence to be a tool. It won’t be that workers will be replaced by programming, rather those workers who refuse to understand and utilize those tools will be replaced. In the 1970s, automation made its first big splash with robotic arms. Today, take a tour of any large factory or warehouse and you will see the use of robots. You will also see hundreds of employees.
The concern was the same in the ‘80s with personal computers. They were said to make the job more efficient, yet most were put off by them initially. I know a couple of people who were smart enough to realize they would be
let go unless they became familiar with PCs. Now, they are well in their seventies and still adept when it comes to computing.
Programmed intelligence will be much the same. It is helpful in marketing, writing jokes, composing better emails and even blog posts. In full disclosure, THIS article was written with the help of the chatbot. But look at the response to my original query attached below, and you will see it is nothing like the final product you are reading now. But I find it helpful to use as a writing prompt. Like I say, it’s a tool.
Last year, I sought the use of artificial intelligence as a writing prompt to get my mojo going. Searching several sites, I found them to be superficial and awkward, to say the least. The ChatGPT program is profound due to the preponderance of information as well as its… humanity. That is to say, it’s the ability to mimic a general conversational style of human beings.
And this is what has so many in academia all up in arms. There is a fear students will now be able to pull one over on teachers. Well yes, but only if the teacher is not familiar with a student’s writing style. What judgements are proposed in the paper? Are there personal anecdotes? How is sarcasm utilized? Is the moral of a story divergent from common ideas? Remember, the “A” stands for artificial. Could someone write a book with AI? Yes. Would it be worth reading? No!
AI simply reflects the current zeitgeist. That is to say, the current mood of the country, correct or otherwise, is regurgitated into a narrative. What’s that old analogy my computing professor used in the ‘90s? Oh yeah, “garbage in, garbage out.” And that is the truth of it. Like any tool, it can only be effective to the extent its quality will allow it to be used.
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Write a 300-word article on the future of artificial intelligence. Include advantages and pitfalls.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has already revolutionized numerous industries, and its potential applications are endless. As technology continues to advance, the future of AI seems bright. However, like any emerging technology, AI also presents both advantages and pitfalls.
Advantages:
1. Increased efficiency: AI has the potential to automate a wide range of tasks, from data analysis to customer service, reducing the time and resources required to complete them. This, in turn, can increase efficiency and productivity.
2. Improved decision-making: With access to vast amounts of data, AI algorithms can analyze and interpret it in a matter of seconds, providing insights that would take humans days or even weeks to gather. This can help organizations make better-informed decisions.
3. Enhanced safety: AI-powered systems can monitor and detect potential hazards in real time, preventing accidents and improving safety in various industries.
4. Personalized experiences: AI can analyze customer data to provide personalized experiences, from personalized marketing messages to customized product recommendations.
Pitfalls:
1. Job displacement: The increased use of AI-powered automation can lead to job displacement, as machines take over tasks previously performed by humans. This can have a significant impact on the workforce and requires proactive measures to mitigate its effects.
2. Biases and discrimination: AI algorithms are only as unbiased as the data they are trained on. If the data used to train AI systems contains biases or discriminatory patterns, these patterns can be amplified, resulting in discriminatory outcomes.
3. Security concerns: As AI-powered systems become more prevalent, they may become targets for cyber-attacks, which can have devastating consequences.
4. Ethical concerns: The use of AI raises several ethical concerns, such as the potential for autonomous weapons, privacy violations, and the potential misuse of AI by authoritarian governments or rogue actors.
In conclusion, the future of AI is exciting, with numerous potential benefits for society. However, it is important to consider the potential pitfalls and work to address them proactively. As we continue to develop and implement AI technologies, we must ensure that we do so in an ethical, responsible, and sustainable manner.