When I think about why someone first came up with the idea of artificial intelligence, I imagine them staring at a mountain of data or a complex problem and thinking, "Wouldn't it be great if we had machines assist us through this?" The very first thought wasn't replacement of human brainpower, but augmentation of it. Those original computer science visionaries dreamed of digital collaborators who would take the grunting computation off their hands and allow us to get on with creativity, strategy, and the uniquely human thoughts that infuse existence with purpose.
Fast forward to today, and AI is now the virtual backbone to our digital existence. The more I look for something online, the more the suggestions that pop up are telepathic in their accuracy. When I'm struggling to translate a foreign news article or need help drafting a complex email, AI programs have been my closest allies. We now witness blind people use websites more easily with AI-powered screen readers and physicians catch cancer in its earliest phase by employing AI scans the human eye can miss.
But now, things get complex and honestly.. a little frightening.
The same technology that helps me find exactly what I am looking for is aware of more about my weakness, habits, and interests than my closest friends. The algorithms of social media, fueled by increasingly sophisticated AI, have monetized our attention, forcing us to scroll even though we are wiser than to leave the phone alone. I've seen how material generated by artificial intelligence goes viral, and it has become harder than ever before to distinguish fact from fiction in our information system.
The job market worry is real too. I have graphic artists worrying about AI artwork software, authors worried about AI-generated content, and customer service reps whose positions are being taken by automation. It's not pleasant to witness human creativity and innovation; things we thought were ours exclusively, being replicated by software.
If someone provided me with a magic button to completely stop AI development, would I press it?
Not on your life.
That would be similar to trying to un-invent the printing press because it is utilized to spread lies. The value of the possibility of using AI to help address global warming, to accelerate medical breakthroughs, and to educate millions of underprivileged students cannot be ignored. What we need is not less AI, we need better AI, designed with intention and responsibility.
I am squarely in the camp that thinks AI has both profound positive potential and profound dangers that we need to focus on. The technology itself is agnostic; it's how we decide to create and use it that will make it more or less likely to be beneficial. We require more robust regulation, more voices at the table from different backgrounds, and an intention to create systems that benefit humanity, not merely optimize for engagement or profit.
The digital world doesn't need saving by AI, but saving from poorly constructed AI for corporate greed and not the good of human beings. We are at a point where we still have some control over the direction in which this technology is moving. The question isn't whether AI will dictate our digital future, but whether we will be a major part of how that future will turn out.
I'd rather be part of that conversation than sitting in the stands, trying to guess what could have been.