I incorporate technology into every aspect of my personal and professional life, even when it isn’t remotely necessary. I’m probably one of the nerdiest people you know, if not the nerdiest (I’ve owned more computers than I have taken vacations…) Despite my nerd credentials, I remain skeptical about the current hype surrounding “AI.” While current large language models have shown significant improvements over previous technologies, they still have limitations. They make mistakes, confidently lie to you, and raise concerns about plagiarism, privacy, and many other things. Here are just a few of the issues:

Bias

These AI models are trained on massive datasets (text, images, video) that often contain inherent biases reflecting societal prejudices. Consequently, these models can perpetuate or even amplify these biases, resulting in discriminatory outcomes. For example, facial recognition technology has been demonstrated to have higher error rates for individuals of color, raising serious ethical and fairness concerns. Generative AI tools (for text, images, or video) can do all kinds of harmful things, which is a fault with the information they “learned” from (garbage in, garbage out.) If we cannot guarantee that AI systems operate without bias, their widespread adoption could exacerbate existing inequalities.

Privacy Risks

AI systems often require, or are exposed to, large amounts of personal data, posing substantial privacy risks. This data collection can lead to misuse or inadequate protection of sensitive information. In an era when data breaches are happening around the clock, the potential for AI systems to be yet another vector for privacy violations cannot be ignored. The more data we input into these systems, the greater the risk of exposing our personal lives to unauthorized access and exploitation. Best practice: do not tell the machine anything that you would not want to have shared with the entire world.

Job Displacement

As AI continues to advance, it is automating tasks that were previously performed by humans. To be sure, some of these can be useful. While this can lead to enhanced efficiency and productivity, it also raises concerns about the future of employment. Many individuals fear that AI will result in substantial job losses in specific industries, leaving workers displaced and struggling to find new employment opportunities. I work with a lot of people in creative fields, and I’m always a little shocked by how much the management in some companies are pushing the use of generative AI for text and images. At the end of this road, we are just copyeditors for the machines. When the next wave of layoffs hits, it will be the human copyeditors who are deemed inessential.

Transparency and Trust

Many AI models, particularly deep learning models, operate as “black boxes,” making it challenging to understand how they arrive at specific conclusions. This opacity can lead to a lack of trust in AI systems, especially in high-stakes scenarios where accountability is crucial. Model developers like OpenAI and Anthropic rarely give specifics about their training data (mainly because they are all being buried under copyright suits.) Without transparency, it becomes difficult to verify the accuracy and fairness of AI-driven decisions.

Ethical Dilemmas

The deployment of AI in surveillance, autonomous weapons, and healthcare decision-making raises questions about the appropriate use of technology. These ethical considerations are often just hand-waved away instead of considering whether AI is being used responsibly and for the benefit of society, rather than for the benefit of the bottom line. We must confront the moral implications of delegating critical decisions to machines.

Long-Term Impact

Considering the long-term impact of AI on society is essential. Right now, we just have a bunch of techbros and venture capitalists screeching about how things like ethics and the rule of law are preventing them from creating Digital God. All I’m sayin’ is: be mindful of the long-term. The widespread adoption of AI could fundamentally alter human behavior, social interactions, and societal norms. The potential for unintended consequences necessitates cautious and foresighted approach to AI integration. As we integrate AI into various aspects of our lives, we must remain vigilant about its potential to disrupt social and political structures and even personal relationships. At this time, we do not have enough guardrails in place and that at the end of all of this, societal damage could occur on a global scale.

It is crucial to approach its development and deployment with a healthy dose of skepticism. It’s not all bad though, and the technology does have some great uses! Despite my caution, I make heavy use of AI in proofreading and summarizing text, as well as aiding with coding tasks.