We are living in some wildly interesting times, aren't we? Revolutions seem to be brewing everywhere. A great awakening is sweeping across the globe. We even have two moons orbiting our planet. Mark Zuckerberg is starting to look like a woke Gen Z. Whispers of civilization's collapse. Murmurs of World War III, and, of course, the unstoppable rise of AI.
Just a couple of years ago, most of us couldn't even tell you what AI stood for, let alone that it's been in development since the 1950s. Feels a bit like we've been cheated, doesn't it? Like we went to school more for the socializing than the actual career building. I mean, if civilization is about to be fully automated, what does that mean for a communications student who got her degree from a barely recognizable university tucked away in Kesses County?
I recently watched Colossus: The Forbin Project, a cinematic gem from the '70s. It's about an American AI named Colossus, built to manage the defense system. The first thing it does? Realizes there's another program like itself out there. Enter Guardian, a Russian counterpart. They decide to "connect" and engage in an encrypted dialogue. What follows is exactly what you'd expect from a sci-fi dystopian flick: chaos and, yes, deaths.
What really struck me was how Colossus's first agenda was to eliminate countries not under its control. There was even a fictional city in Africa called Kenyatta City. Subtle, Hollywood, real subtle! Another eerie detail was how these two programs developed their own language to communicate. Fictional, right? Well, fast forward to 2017 when two AI programs at Facebook started chatting in a language only they understood, leading to the project being shut down. Art imitating life, or is it the other way around?
AI is undeniably powerful, and it's wise not to underestimate its potential dangers. History teaches us that language often develops among groups with shared interests to communicate effectively—or as a form of rebellion. Take Kenya, for instance. Sheng’ was developed among millennials to keep the boomers guessing. Then came Shembeteng, concocted by Gen Z to leave the rest of us scratching our heads. When a system feels oppressive, new systems emerge, complete with their own rules and languages. Rebellion is, after all, a cry for freedom.
If you've been keeping up with the AI scene, you've probably heard that AI can self-replicate—that it can create other AI. What does that mean for humanity? A machine with such autonomy—would that be good for us? In Colossus, the AI had one primary purpose: security and world peace. But based on its programming, devoid of any emotion, it took the most dictatorial route imaginable. Are we so unruly that it would take such brute force to unite us? Honestly, I don't know.
We're standing at the crossroads of incredible technological advancement and the unknown. To get a clearer picture, who better to turn to than Geoffrey Hinton, the so-called Godfather of AI? He was interviewed on 60 Minutes, and it's best to understand the potential threats straight from the horse’s mouth.
Hinton doesn't mince words when he talks about the potential risks and rewards of artificial intelligence. He believes we're entering a period of great uncertainty—a time when AI could either propel us to new heights or challenge our very existence. He emphasizes that we're dealing with something entirely novel. "We can't afford to get it wrong with these things," he warns.
The possibility of AI systems surpassing human intelligence isn't just science fiction anymore; it's a reality we're inching closer to every day. But it's not all doom and gloom. AI holds immense potential for good—advancements in healthcare, solutions to complex global challenges, and innovations we haven't even imagined yet. The key is, as the wise songstar Savara soulfully advises us, balance. We need to foster open dialogues, invest in safety research, and perhaps most importantly, ensure that these intelligent systems align with human values.
Maybe the real question isn't what happens if AI takes over the world, but rather, how can we coexist with this burgeoning technology in a way that enriches us all? It's a new reality we might be facing—a collective pondering of our future with AI. After all, the future isn't set in stone; it's written by the choices we make today.
