Buyer’s Remorse

Well well well. I just came across an article on Facebook that says, “In a plot worthy of 2025, major brands are ditching AI and leaning into the ‘keep it real’ movement. . . . But this isn’t just brand theater, it’s consumer psychology. Half of Americans now say they’re more concerned than excited about AI’s growing presence.”

Sorry to say folks, but that ship has likely sailed.

Oh, so after spending months on end learning how to use AI to make fake art that puts real artists out of business or even out of relevance, now some of y’all are having second thoughts? Or for those of you who cried “UGH doing research is SOOOO hard” and started using ChatGPT as a crutch for basic information gathering purposes, now you’re wary of using it further?

Another article, with the headline “AI Might Let You Die to Save Itself,” had this to report late this summer: “But in June, Anthropic published research testing currently released AI models’ propensity to autonomously devise and execute malicious plans to ensure their continued existence. The results: Essentially every AI model tested was willing to attempt blackmail, corporate espionage, and even murder to avoid being replaced or shut down.”

AND just yesterday we learned that Amazon aims “to replace 600,000 US workers with robots” amid tech industry bloodbath.” AND countries are now apparently experimenting with — if not about to launch — actual robot warriors, in what is being billed as a “race for AI supremacy,” in which global tech powers are scrambling to get ahead of each other to build bigger and better ways to blow each other up.

Using artificial intelligence.

Sounds like a great plan!

I’m proud to say that I am an “AI Virgin.” Meaning, I’m sure I occasionally use AI against my will — such as with simple google searches where it is being employed whether you’re aware of that fact or not — but that I have never once sought out AI by using the likes of ChatGPT, etc. So, if the machines do eventually rise, I’ll hopefully be like one of those “home grown humans” who were born in Zion in the movie “The Matrix,” and not hooked up to tubes sucking the life out of my body to power something akin to Skynet.

Numerous motion pictures and TV shows have portrayed what is to come. We just didn’t realize that we should have taken these fictional narratives as warning: a ringing of the bell or sounding of an alarm. The human race simply isn’t ethical enough as a species to have these fancy toys without twisting them for malicious purposes across the board. And it’s too late to turn back now.   

Regardless of where the AI Virgins end up in this unfolding scenario, it’s obvious that we got a little too big for our britches bringing AI into fruition in the first place. And now we have to accept the fact that murderous dictators across the world are falling over each other to reach the AI Military finish line first.

That’s a line I’m not looking forward to being around for.   

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