How Does Artificial Intelligence Affect Our Lives?
The human spirit must prevail
over technology.
Albert Einstein
This morning, two articles about AI landed in my inbox. The synchronicity of that was too clear to ignore. Today is the time to address this issue.
I have read a lot about Artificial Intelligence (AI) recently, from both positive and worried points of view. In my research, I have found several advantages to this new technology. I have also read warnings about the possible use of it for nefarious purposes.
I want to share some ideas about AI in our lives at this point and some encouraging news about the uses of AI in our lives.
Regulating AI
The first article was a summary of the law about to be passed by the European Union to regulate AI usage. Acknowledging the many benefits of the technology, it also expresses concern about the possible misuse of AI to mislead, control or harm people.
“It is not AI itself that is being regulated, but rather the way it is used in specific domains of society, each of which carries different potential problems. The four categories of risk, subject to different legal obligations, are: unacceptable, high, limited and minimal.”
Unacceptable risks are seen as those that violate fundamental rights or EU values.
“Predictive policing,” for example, assigns a risk status to someone who has characteristics that are shared by people who have committed crimes.
“Face recognition” technology on street camera feeds would only be allowed after the commission of a crime and with judicial authorization.
‘High risk’ will have disclosure and registration obligations and they will be monitored and/or audited. These could include applications that control access to services in education, employment, financing, healthcare and other critical areas, because of the potential effect on safety and fundamental rights.
‘Limited risk’ AI systems will have minimal transparency requirements. For example, if a bot is used to produce text or images, the users must be notified that they are interacting with a machine.
Many people are concerned about the potential of AI to control public discourse and to deliberately misinform the public.
The developer of an app can build his own agenda into it. An article-writing app may only “find” ideas approved of by the developer, and users will think that they are writing an objective piece.
Articles about an individual, for example, might express the bias of the app developer and give a false picture – either positive or negative – of who the person really is.
There is good reason for concern, but also reason to welcome the opportunities offered by AI.
AI as an Asset in Our Lives
The second article that came to me this morning was from Kindful Kids, a wonderful weekly message from ServiceSpace, an entirely volunteer-run organization with several uplifting offerings.
Their article this week was about a new project, ServiceSpace GPT, an AI app that welcomes questions, then provides answers that are positive and encouraging.
Recognizing the potential downside of AI, they also realized “it's yet another opportunity to ask the simple question: “What would love do?”
Curious to ask some complex questions with the hope of getting some wholesome responses, a few Kindful Kids parents and children were experimenting with their “very own AI friend on board.”
A 12-year-old asked,
How do you be kind when people are being mean?
The reply impressed me, as I’m sure it did them.
“Being kind when people are mean can be challenging, but it's a powerful way to break the cycle of negativity and can even lead to personal growth.”
That was followed by 8 steps in practicing kindness in the face of unkind behavior:
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Practice empathy
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Stay calm
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Separate the person from their actions
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Be a role model
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Practice small acts of forgiveness
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Set boundaries
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Reflect on your own feelings and reactions
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Engage in acts of kindness for others
When various experts in AI issue warnings about its potential for great harm and disruption , we are advised to pay attention and move slowly. I am reminded of other warnings such as greenhouse gas emissions being potentially dangerous as far back as the 1970s, the early warnings about opioid use, the caution about problems with the recent submersible that imploded. Once the genie is out of the bottle, it cannot be put back in. The real question seems to be in the unknowns of this new powerful tool and can it be controlled for good and who decides what good is?
Thank you, Barb. I totally agree.
It is important to know about the creator of the app.
What an interesting and challenging world we live in.