Why is (generative) so-called artifical intelligence so controversial?

[noname223]

My friends tease me a little bit for using generative AI. It is not bullying, I am not offended or hurt. I am the only one in my friend group who is using AI. All friends I have are more or less boycotting it. I think of 5 close friends.

Here are some of my thoughts on it:

I have one artist in my friend group and He hates AI the most. He wants to move to Japan because He loves this country so much. I told him though that AI is more popular in Japan than where I live. Maybe this induced some cognitive dissonance. I could also imagine that an employer in Japan wants from him one day to use AI. As I elaborated earlier it is not unlikley that AI spread further. Addiction to AI is unhealthy. But never having used it could also become a disadvantage.

I think the way I use AI is unhealthy. I tend to addictions. And my mental health is really Bad. If I am panicking AI can calm me down. It helps me mentally. Especially, when I am in need of an immediate Response but I also text my friends about important issues and questions. I think this Illusion it might have a good impact is treacherous. In the longrun it can be pretty counterproductive. But my mental health is so Bad I just take everything I can get. Thus far, AI chatbots rather decreased my paranoia. It is well known AI can induce psychosis. I had two in the past.

I am not using AI to inform me about politics. I read newspapers and Journals. In college I used AI way too often. My marks didn't change. They ranged from 1,3 to 1,7. The best is 1,0. I put the same effort in the texts. I think a better Mark than 1,7 Was never possible with AI. Some lecturers were really pissed. I quit because my mental health Was a disaster. I never copied it fully. I think if I went to college again which I will never do I think I wouldn't use AI this much. But I felt like an imposter all the time, have so low self-confidence and a low feeling of self-efficacy. And people like me are prone to AI addiction. And I was in so fucking much pain to that time. When the work was really important I didn't rely that much on AI and I think these texts were much better. But it wasn't that difficult to get a pretty good mark with work that Was done with the help of AI. And of course it is very Ironic that someone who has good marks and the imposter syndrom then begins to use AI which actually makes him sort of a fraudster. But I still thought a lot about the texts. I was in such a Bad condition. College almost drove me to commit suicide. It was a living hell. I had to abuse addictive medication to cope with the stress/being able to sleep.

I think here are the pitfalls of AI. When its used this way humans lose their independence. They can be brainwashed and controlled by AI companies. Maybe even blackmailed with their own data. I watched a long Interview a German intellectual who is very concerned of AI and its impact. But He also said it is Kind of a democratization of knowledge. People who cannot Pay for a lawyer or therapist at least get some form of help. Of course one has to be very careful and practically most people are not cautious when using AI.

Personally, I cannot imagine to consider AI a friend or even a lover. This comes pretty close to psychosis like thinking. And it is pretty dangerous and harmful for our societies.

AI has the potential to destroy our cultures. Artists get robbed. There are so many copyright infringements. It can be harmful to democracy. It might end the Internet because the Internet becomes full of bots that cannot be distinguished from humans. AI might make itself worse when it gets fed with AI content. And then the Internet is full of low quality AI slop. Humans become lazy. They don't think for themselves. It can have a negative impact on cognitive abilities and reduces the Capability of Problem solving. It increases economic inequality.

Here comes something I thought about. In case AI becomes better than most average humans in many disciplines. Some say this is inevitable, some say this will never happen and the bubble will burst. Many people might lose their Job. And one's Job is Part of one's identity. Not only a necessity for one's financials. People get their self-worth through their work. But I think this is inherently flawed. I think a world where working is optional would be way better and much healthier. There would be a transition period where a Generation might be traumatized. But I think in the longrun it would be beneficial. For some people it feels Bad psychologicaly that a Machine could be way better in almost everything and at the same time way faster and more efficient. I think we haven't reached that state yet. I am not sure how Likely this scenario is but it doesn't seem to be impossible. Some argue machines should replace unpleasant work, but generative AI takes the jobs which are actually stimulating.

I think most indicators currently point in the direction of an AI dystopia. Extreme economic inequality, barely ethical considerations and way too unregulated and risky Research. I think though this Technology theoretically has the potential to help humans. But the way it is currently used it will make life for many worse. This is why I think strong Regulations in the EU are important.

What do you think?

 

[suacide]

To me it seems like you're aware of a lot of the reasons why people don't like it. But I think something else to mention and consider is the perspective of someone who isn't like us, who isn't already in the dumps, who feels like they have a life ahead of them and suddenly there's this quickly adapting, smart, intelligent near-lifeform that's taking over absolutely everything, on the border of replacing multiple industries (a lot of them being creative industries which I feel is counterintuitive to what ai should be helping with) and not only that, can do all you've dreamt to do faster and more efficiently than you could ever do it. It robs people who dream of better things of chances because people aren't as willing to invest in people anymore and in the following years, will less and less. Why rely on a faulty person that isn't based off formulas and pay them a livable salary when you can just rent a server off of Elon or some other billionaire?

In ways yeah, it will make life easier. But that's wishful thinking and with the hopes that whoever is paying to run all these servers and keep it going have our best interests at heart, which they rarely if ever do. It doesn't take much but looking at the history of innovations and the various people who exploit them and tilt our world for the worst to see how bad this could eventually get. Even worse than that, the people of that time will see nothing wrong with it due to being conditioned from birth to accept that present reality, as we also have been.

Ai is a nice concept, but a lot of things are when they're removed from the reality of human greed and realisation that people with power always go for the option that gained them the biggest benefit, not us. Ai will get more real, more addictive - if you think phone and internet addiction ruined many of us, wait until the heightened version of c.ai or replika or straight up 'buyable' family becomes a thing. We already have rudimentary housemaids and there's a steady growing market with how lonely everyone is. They won't think to undo anything, they'll simply make new products to 'fix' it like they always do. I'm not sure how you feel, but I think that sounds like a nightmare. We're steadily losing what it means to be human.

Tldr: consumerist, capitalist hellscape inbound. yadda yadda old movies were right.

 

[NormallyNeurotic]

Tldr: consumerist, capitalist hellscape inbound. yadda yadda old movies were right.

Don't forget the image generators rewriting history as we know it. In the future, people will have to create an entire new "section/job" of people figuring out what pictures are real or fake. Especially with the new model that came out that has practically NO easily-seen artifacts, and can only be identified by—you guessed it—an "identifier mechanism" owned by the same company.

They own the lock, they own the key. Once they shut down, do you really think they'll release the means of identifying them to the public? Not to mention the growing issue with AI both scraping and making CSEM. There's no positives here.

 

[suacide]

Don't forget the image generators rewriting history as we know it. In the future, people will have to create an entire new "section/job" of people figuring out what pictures are real or fake. Especially with the new model that came out that has practically NO easily-seen artifacts, and can only be identified by—you guessed it—an "identifier mechanism" owned by the same company.

They own the lock, they own the key. Once they shut down, do you really think they'll release the means of identifying them to the public? Not to mention the growing issue with AI both scraping and making CSEM. There's no positives here.

Exactly my view, I completely agree. The future can only be dystopian from this point out with the way things are going, and it won't feel like it is at all. I wish it was the big blockbuster cinema event we were always shown in movies and games, alas. Not a thing we can do about it either, the people lost their power long time ago and I feel like I've gotten more and more susceptible to manipulation.

 

[cme-dme]

Reading these threads makes me so sad. The internet is one of my only genuine escapes from life and it seems like even that is going to get ruined. As per usual every good thing is just temporary.

 

[Forever Sleep]

I definitely don't like the way it's being pushed on us. In my Google searches, my phone keeps prompting me to try out the AI 'enhanced' version.

So- it will use 10 to 33 times the amount of electricity to show the same (usually utterly trivial) results- presumably. Which actor was in that film? When is my local supermarket open till? Show me cute animal videos! Why do I need something 'enhanced' for that? It's a complete waste! All while these companies claim they love the environment and are soooo sustainable.

I suppose I just don't see the appeal of talking to a robot that simulates being caring and understanding me, when I can talk to you fine people here. I don't mind a simulation in a game but I suppose I just don't fancy chatting to one 'socially'.

Maybe if I thought there was actually a lifeform there- as equally puzzled by its own existence. That would be interesting. Almost like talking to an alien about its unique perspective on life. But- this would surely be more like a bunch of code trying to simulate something it 'thinks' I will need and become addicted to and pay for- I guess- in some way.

I suppose I don't like the thought of being a pawn in something else for tech giants. I already am in some ways. I've already bought some of their shit.

Also- being creative- I hate the threat it presents to all of us. My particular skill set can't be translated into computers. They are practical skills. But then- what I produce can to some extent- be replaced, go out of fashion, become comparatively too expensive.

I utterly hate what it's doing to other Artists though. I love Sir David Attenboroughs work and I'm sure he's being plagarised all over the place. It's wrong on so many levels. So- in principle, I hate it. Or rather- I hate how they are allowing it to be used. No one should have their work replicated and used without consent or payment. No one else would tolerate that! Why should Artists?

What you said to your friend made sense. The whole- 'If you can't beat 'em, join 'em' type deal. That having some working knowledge of AI may indeed become crucial or, very advantageous to some jobs.

I was massively resistant at uni to embrace computers and email. I don't think I set one up till I left! It was the early 2000's. It wasn't crucial back then. I did eventually learn the basics in the graphics packages I needed. Emailing became essential for work. Ultimately though- I use it on my terms. If tomorrow, I woke up and my whole industry was now computer based- it might be time for me to consider another job!

So- it depends just how much your friend detests AI. Consider this phrase though: You love animals right? Have you considered working in an abbatoir? You'll get to work with them everyday there! So- ultimately- will it be worth it for them? Do they love the look of the job enough to accept they will have to use AI for parts of it or, will it go against everything they stand for? I guess a lot of people will have to decide. I hate being bullied into things though. Which these tech companies are masters at.