AI’s offer to relieve us of the burden of thinking is tempting, but once again a lawyer has demonstrated the risk of relying on a technology without applying critical thinking to correct its errors. When generative AI and other technologies allow the viral spread of falsehoods, we need to protect ourselves from “botshit,” and teach children to think critically.
Among the many factors driving the future direction of OpenAI’s generative AI, legal limits may be the most important. A number of lawsuits alleging copyright infringement and plagiarism are challenging the technology’s limits. How will the AI and laws reach a future accommodation?
News stories are increasingly AI-written, and a chilling example of what can go wrong was displayed in a recent report on the murder of a young woman. While the economic pressures on journalism reduce its quality and quantity, special caution is required in the use of artificial intelligence to write and broadcast news of human events.
The August cyberattack against an important telescope facility brought its operation and the scientific research dependent on it to a halt for two months. It’s part of an increasing number of attacks on critical infrastructure that calls for a higher priority on eliminating criminal threats to our technology. Are we sitting ducks? Surely the brain power of 7.8 billion humans can be applied to the essential task of defending ourselves.
When so much of human data is indexed by powerful AIs, it’s crucial that we preserve the ability to curate our own history and accomplishments. Imagine if Wikipedia, the free repository of human knowledge, were to go dark from lack of contributions? Let’s value and preserve the benefits it provides.
As technology standardises spelling and our use of language, historical information on the origin and meaning of words embedded in their symbols is lost. Without important data on human meaning and intentions at specific times, we need to be careful in judging our ancestors for their expressions, using today’s standards.
The Quantum Record is a non-profit journal of philosophy, science, technology, and time. The potential of the future is in the human mind and heart, and in the common ground that we all share on the road to tomorrow. Promoting reflection, discussion, and imagination, The Quantum Record highlights the good work of good people and aims to join many perspectives in shaping the best possible time to come. We would love to stay in touch with you, and add your voice to the dialogue.