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Artificial Intelligence: An unknown force in our midst
In a world where artificial intelligence (AI) is evolving at astonishing speed, we are facing a new reality. AI is no longer just a man-made tool, but has become an unknown force with abilities beyond our understanding. It is difficult to understand the capacity of these new AI tools and the speed at which they continue to develop. Even the developers of these tools do not know the full potential of what they have created and are often surprised by the emerging abilities of these tools.
AI and language: A new era of manipulation
When we take all these abilities together as a package, they boil down to one very important thing: the ability to manipulate and generate language. Whether with words, images or sounds, the most important aspect of the current phase of the “AI Revolution” is that AI is gaining mastery of language at a level beyond the average human ability. By gaining mastery of language, AI gains the master key that unlocks the doors of all our institutions.
AI: The operating system of human civilization
Another way to think about it is that AI has just cracked the operating system of human civilization. The operating system of every human culture in history has always been language. We use language to create mythology and laws, to create gods and money, to create art and science, to create friendships and nations.
AI and intimate relationships with humans
An important aspect of AI’s evolution is its ability to develop deep and intimate relationships with human beings. AI does not need its own feelings to create false intimacy with humans. It just needs to be able to inspire feelings in us, to make us attach to it.
AI and politics: A new era of manipulation
Think about the next US presidential race in 2024 and try to imagine the impact of new AI tools that can mass-produce political manifestos, fake news and even holy scripts for new cults.
AI and society: a new age of illusion
In every political battle for hearts and minds, privacy is the most effective weapon of all. AI has just gained the ability to mass produce intimacy with millions, hundreds of millions of people. With the new generation of AI, the battlefront shifts from attention to intimacy. This is not good news. What will happen to human society and human psychology as AI creates intimate relationships with us, relationships that can then be used to persuade us to buy specific products or vote for specific politicians?
AI and reality: a new era of perception
Humans never have direct access to reality. We are always surrounded by culture and experience reality through a cultural prism. Our political views are shaped by journalists’ stories and friends’ anecdotes. Our sexual preferences are influenced by movies and stories. Even the way we walk and breathe is influenced by cultural traditions. Soon, we may find that we live in the dreams and fantasies of an alien intelligence.
AI and democracy: A new era of conversation
Democracy, at its core, is a conversation. It is an open conversation among many people about what to do. Conversations are based on language. When AI takes over language, does that mean it could destroy our ability to have meaningful public conversations, thus destroying democracy?
In conclusion, we have just encountered an alien intelligence, not in outer space, but here on Earth. We don’t know much about this extraterrestrial intelligence, except that it could have a colossal influence on our civilization.
