While some form of AI has been around for some time, the latest buzz around AI has stemmed from the recent availability of Large Language Models to the public. The most notable of which is ChatGPT, a free to use tool that will try its best to provide an answer within any given parameters. But the reach of AI is a lot larger than you may think! If you play any type of video game you have interacted with AI as it is used to dynamically alter the game world and depending on the type of game creates the appropriate amount of challenge for the user. For those that use social media, whether that be Facebook, Twitter, Instagram just to name a few, the system that picks what you see, frequently referred to as the algorithm is AI based.
The main draw of social media is for individuals to interact with others, while someone is using any form of social media they create a multitude of data points that companies use. From the point of account creation your information, like your location, is used to filter what you are shown on your timeline. This has some benefits, as someone in New York City does not need to know about a temporary road closure in Las Vegas. The negatives of this practise are brought out when commercialism is introduced, as your generated data is used to feed you advertising; the more data that is available for someone, the more direct advertising can be for them. If you search for videos of how to train a dog, the algorithm then knows to show you adverting about dog training treats. Besides of targeted adverting, the system knows what kind of content you like and recommends it to you with the goal of stating on the platform for longer. In this case, there is value created from AI, but the focus on revenue over seeds this value.
Another recent advancement for AI is for image generation. There is ongoing controversy with this technology, with people worried that AI will become the primary producer of art. While current AI can create visually appealing images, at the end of the day they lack the elasticity of the human mind and can only create images with surface level meanings. A use for this type of AI is for idea creation, also called ideation, as having a fast tool to help visualize an idea can reduce the amount of trial and error cycles an artist requires. While one does not truly learn without making mistakes, having a tool to help narrow down the possible range of an art piece in the works. Personally, in the resent past when I was working on art projects I used an AI image generator to get the ball rolling, as it was a good way to visualize a lone element in the composition. This way of using AI could be seen as adding automation to the artistic process, but there are other situations where you could say automation takes over.
The value of automation has been realized since the industrial revolution, as the introduction of the Spinning Jenny allowed a greater output of textile material. In our day and age, automation has touched virtually every aspect of life. Currently, the process of farming relies heavily on machines to carry out the various tasks of planting, tending and harvesting of crop land. How about we take the human out of the cab of a tractor and replace them with a computer? A straight forward view would make it seem that this action would decrease the amount of human labour hours, which could be applied to other tasks. This action could lead to a slippery slope as cost is a problem; while farms typically turn a profit, the farm equipment utilized in the process is costly. The ever-increasing amount of farming corporations presently have more resources than a family ran farm. This means that these corporations have more money to spend on equipment, and have more incentive to do so, as they have more land on which they can use this new technology.
The true implications of AI on our day-to-day lives is dependent on the amount of which we integrate AI into our current practices. Currently, there are fast food companies considering a new form of automation, the replacement of humans based drive-thru order taking with computer programs. While there are a multitude of factors that can contribute to the success or failure of these actions, like public response and the effectiveness of voice comprehension, the use of AI in this situation can decrease prices of goods. This use of AI, just like the outlined use of AI in the above situations, can create a net positive if used correctly. The issue is not about the benefit that AI can create, but of application of the benefit. If the focus of AI is on consumerism, then the impacts of the benefits are reduced to another cog of consumption, and not improving life for the general public.
