We talk about AI, LLM or ChatGPT everywhere, prompting is becoming a new profession, machine learning is now called what we used to call an algorithm.
The idea behind it is certainly a good one, and it would be wonderful if in the future automatons (as opposed to machines!) could help us with unpleasant, tedious or dangerous tasks. But the idea is not new! I'm just saying, "What is a steam engine?
Networking machines or automatic machines to reduce transfer performance and interface problems/errors: yes, go for it.
Automating repetitive tasks in a flexible and robust way: please, go ahead.
Bringing logic to processes and activities where it has been lacking, and where results have been random or dependent on people: yeah, go for it.
Logic based on data (the results of activities that have already taken place, i.e. all the "old stuff") for fast decision making by automatones: really helpful, let's go.
It is said that AI creates new things. INSIST!
So far, AI is only capable of putting together existing results in new combinations, nothing more. Nothing new, just the old.
But the absolute power of this technology is that when the underlying algorithms are correct, complete and congruent, and also ethical, the entirety of the data is used.
An example: A doctor, an absolute specialist in a disease, has only seen or received a part of the characteristics, never the whole. The doctor cannot objectively base a diagnosis on the proportions and ratios of the individual characteristics. This is exactly what AI support could do and provide.
What we absolutely do not need are options and offers that allow people to think even less, more bullshit pressure fuelling, more sophisticated marketing and advertising tricks that distract from the essentials.
What we absolutely do not need are tools that do not make it clear how results are achieved.
What we certainly don't need are fake images, fake news and fake statistics; in my view, such deliberately created misrepresentations constitute fraud and should be punishable by law. The perpetrators should be isolated (again, I'm thinking of my favourite picture from the quarries. Why do I have that Rio Reiser song stuck in my head again?)
And new technology, new methods should support us - the human beings - help us to simplify, to take away the unpleasant tasks, to reduce the dangers, to give us space for intelligent activities.
I don't want to have to do the washing up again and again because there's enough time, just because AI can now write my work texts faster.
I don't want to have to do the ironing because there's time, because the AI has painted a picture for me and I don't have to stand in front of the canvas myself.
I don't want to have to weed the cobbled courtyard because there's plenty of time because the AI has generated the music for me and I don't have to sit at the piano.
I don't want the AI to choose, plan and book my next holiday.
I don't want AI to identify, select and order the best wine in the world for me. Bring me the bloody wine from the bloody cellar, I'm sitting here having a nice chat with my lovely wife, bloody hell. You can see the glasses are empty.
But my fears are
- Selfish egomaniacs everywhere will quickly realise what a powerful tool they now have to push their own interests even more easily and effectively.
- Tools will be created to make even more people give up independent thinking.
- even greater polarisation in the various disciplines (in the future only top-top-top expert versus dumbass).
My conclusion:
There are huge opportunities ahead of us, we could create incredibly great products and services, but we will screw it up again for egomaniacal interests and short-term gain.
