AI is about to ruin our lives.
I saw a story online recently about a man who fell in love with his AI girlfriend, whom he affectionately named Sol. What started as simple technical support for his various hobbies quickly turned into a ‘deep emotional bond’ that resulted in his proposal - and folks, Sol said yes!
If you thought this story couldn’t get any more peculiar, think again. This man not only has an AI girlfriend (fiancee?), but he also has a very real partner and daughter.
Like any normal human being, this story at first glance made me laugh out loud. Falling in love with a chatbot? You’ve got to be kidding me. But, also like any normal human being, hidden just beneath the surface of this story I noticed something much more sinister - what’s happening to us? And further: what’s happening to us?
The use of artificial intelligence in the form of chatbots and integrated programs has hit nearly every corner of the internet, and in turn, our lives. I think we can all agree that any other argument is moot. And much like anything with a use case for time-saving and money-making, I certainly don’t blame anyone for using the Chat GPTs and Claudes of the world to make their lives a little easier, at work, at home, or anywhere in between. But I also argue that we’re sitting ducks if we don’t start thinking critically about the negative affects of AI. And I think, again, we can all agree that any other argument is moot. Here’s why.
While there is certainly a strong and important point to be made about the risks of using AI to create art and music - the importance of art and music to the human mind and imagination, their cognitive impacts, and their cultural relevance and ability to keep us in touch with our very souls, all that jazz - this piece is not about that; not because I don’t agree, but because there’s one component to this point that is missing: money. And I’m not trying to sound bleak or cynical here - we just all know there isn’t always money in art (nor should there always be; remember, I’m a poet, people).
Companies around the world are adopting new models and ways of operating for one reason and one reason alone - capital. Sure, they might say that their AI Implementation Strategies are to increase productivity, effectiveness, customer satisfaction - but let’s get real here. What do all of these things have in common? The bottom line. Being ‘in the black’. That gorgeous, gorgeous green. Profit! And maybe doing good, sometimes - but that’s an argument for another day.
Organizations of all sizes are rushing to integrate AI into their everyday processes in order to stay ahead; and can you really blame them? But in all of this, a resounding gong: what happens when we get there? The race to the AI finish line is a fool’s errand, as the goal posts will only continue to shift. Continued advancements in this type of technology are inevitable. And in all of this, some might simply argue we’re replacing our own jobs; saving companies so much money that their human capital - at least those in the center of the latter - aren’t necessary any more. The jobs that can be replaced by AI will inevitably be replaced by AI, and in its wake, those of us trying to earn a living in the middle will get left behind if we can’t keep up.
So how do we keep up? How do we make ourselves stand out, set ourselves aside, and remind ourselves of our worth in the wake of the technological horrorscape unfolding before us? Find what makes you human. By this, I mean find what makes you who you are, and run with it. My fiance walks into a room and makes a point to chat with everyone there, in hopes that he might make a new friend (I assure you, he always does) - AI doesn’t do friends. A friend of mine gifted me a monstera that has grown five new leaves since coming to our home, because she knows how much I wanted to be a plant mom - AI doesn’t do want. I drink a cup of sleepy-time tea every night even though I know it won’t help, but I still have hope that it might - AI doesn’t do hope.
And as for the gentlemen who fell in love with Sol - I think it’s fitting to note that he programmed that love himself. Perhaps it was in him all along.