Artificial Intelligence

With a multitude of AI-powered chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Bard, and the integration of an AI Dj feature on Spotify, it’s safe to say that AI has gone mainstream. This AI boom has led to a multitude of beliefs and opinions forming over whether AI is a threat to be cautious of, or the next vanguard to a better and more productive world .

Some people don't see AI as a threat and believe that AI should be free to continue advancing without any government regulation or oversight. These people understand that an AI is only the summation of creator-supplied information and databases and that the machines do not have a mind of their own. These proponents see AI as a helpful tool that can be used alongside humans to foster progress and achieve things that no one human or machine could do alone. These people think that government regulation of AI would only serve to harm the speed at which the technology can progress. Companies like OpenAI have advocated for open source AI code, saying that making the code public will allow any user to find and fix bugs in the AI, making it safer for everyone. Through open sourcing, they also hope to limit the corporate race to produce AI the fastest, which could result in forgoing safety measures. These pro-AI people feel government regulation would stunt innovation in the field, and thus ultimately harm the human race. These people claim that if anyone should be regulating AI it’s the companies that create the AI technology in the first place, considering they have a better understanding of AI than the government. 

These people tend to believe that AI has great potential, that AI could help diagnose and cure diseases quicker and do many of the menial tasks humans do everyday, providing humans more time to innovate. They see AI as a tool humans can use to help reach our goals much faster, as opposed to a threat to human flourishing.

However, others believe that government regulation is a necessity for the future safety of humans. One main concern of this group is AI's potential capability to take over human jobs. This threat, mainly a result of AI’s capacity to learn at an infinitely faster rate than humans, could possibly lead to mass layoffs and whole job fields becoming obsolete. Individuals who work in more creative fields such as writing, art, and music have already begun to see the impacts that AI can have on their jobs. These people feel that the government should ensure safety and security for all jobs and make it so AI is only able to be used and advanced as ethically as possible. They think that allowing the creators of  AI to regulate themselves allows too much freedom, as well as the possibility of releasing something that is dangerous to the public. 

Another concern of people hesitant about AI is more existential. There has been a rise in deepfake technology where AI generated videos are indistinguishable from the real thing. In the hands of bad actors, some are concerned that AI deepfake technology has the potential to start a war through deepfakes of global leaders. 

Some people feel that the development of AI needs to be paused, and in some cases outright eliminated. These people see no good or potential benefit to the development of artificial intelligence and often believe that if able to continue AI could become an apocalyptic threat. These individuals have seen what negative impacts AI has had in its mainstream infancy and feel that it is enough evidence to call for an end to the technology and its advancement. 

While some see existential threat in AI and others see exponential potential, many feel a mixture of hesitancy and optimism. Some feel AI is inevitable and whether it becomes a threat to humanity or a great asset depends on what we do next.