By Ariana Fromm
What is artificial intelligence (AI)? According to IBM, it’s “technology that enables computers and machines to simulate human learning, comprehension, problem solving, decision making, creativity and autonomy.” Now more than ever, AI seems to be placed in our lives, being applied in nearly every field. However, this growth comes with a significant downside: the fear that AI will possibly replace human employment, resulting in job displacement. With lower costs and better efficiency, AI can be a persuasive alternative for businesses and employment. This can ultimately cost people their livelihoods.
One example of an AI tool that has gained widespread attention is ChatGPT. While it can help generate ideas, it also risks taking away from human creativity by making ready-made content in less than ten seconds, which could then be copied and pasted word for word. Although AI-generated material can be useful, it can most likely lack “color” and certain details of human writing, making it sound somewhat robotic. Though AI continues to improve, moving closer to sounding authentic and being high quality, it’d be hard to tell the difference between what is real and what isn’t. Imagine taking a BuzzFeed quiz that asks you to identify the real photos from AI-generated ones, which is becoming harder to do as AI advances.
The dependence on AI can slowly take away the use of originality since people are relying more on machines to produce something creative that is then passed on as their own. This reliance might encourage a sense of autonomy over original creativity. This can make society very comfortable with machines doing all the work and taking away genuine human expressions.
Last year, artificial intelligence made headlines, especially with the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists strike from July to November 2023. For nearly four months, writers, actors, and crew members stopped working to try to fight against the use of AI in the entertainment industry. They were worried that AI could replace their voices and likenesses, which could create performances faster and at lower costs. For example, Robert Downey Jr. recently said that he would not allow Marvel to resurrect his character, Tony Stark, using AI or else he’ll sue. This shows how even established artists fear being replaced by artificial intelligence.
The risk of using AI even goes to the job industry. There have also been concerns about privacy because of how much AI can collect and process data. Facial recognition, bank details, and even Social Security numbers could possibly be accessed and used by AI systems. This scenario has been shown in the show Person of Interest, where an AI called “Samaritan” can use security cameras, voice replication, and government resources to execute commands without thinking about individual freedom. Even though this show is fictional, it represents real concerns about how AI could possibly take over as well as its ethical implications. It’s interesting how this show came out in 2011 when AI was not as big as it is now, with the main AI back then being IBM and Siri. Compared to AI used today, Siri seems so basic since ChatGPT can make human conversation, and Siri is like a virtual assistant. The plot of Person of Interest has many parallels to what society faces today.
With the constant development of artificial intelligence, there should be restrictions on its use. Even though AI can be helpful, it’s growing and evolving quickly, which can possibly take away human rights. Therefore, there should be caution so that doesn’t occur. Artificial intelligence is not just an everyday gadget; it’s something that can change society and possibly not for the better.