Author: SeungJun Lee
Sub-Heading: The speed of A.I. development surpasses our expectations. While we benefit from A.I., we cannot disregard the possibility of misuse and unintended consequences. This article will delve into the problems caused by A.I. and provide pertinent solutions.
Do you guys remember the Alphago versus top Go player Lee Sedol match that happened in 2016? It attracted worldwide attention, and most people who had played Go before predicted Lee Sedol’s easy win; little did they know what would happen.
The result of the match was 4-1, Alphago’s shocking win. After five unprecedented matches, people who expected Lee Sedol’s effortless victory before became grateful for the one precious victory against Alphago. It was when people started to realize Artificial Intelligence’s unfathomable potential in earnest.
Nearly eight years after the historical match, in 2023, we are coexisting with A.I. Before we were aware of it, we entered a new era where critical thinking is no longer necessary: A.I. does everything for us. A chatbot like ChatGPT answers any question in a second and writes perfect essays effortlessly. A.I. used to be more of a supporting tool for humans, but now it seems like the roles could be reversed.
A.I. is swiftly dominating the world, and we encounter various problems in the process.
Among them, one of the most urgent problems is job replacement.
The unemployment crisis has always been a hot potato. It was already a severe problem, but the advent of A.I. worsened the situation. Goldman Sachs proposed that A.I. can replace a maximum of 25 percent of the current jobs.
This is not a far story from white-collar workers – they might be closer to quagmire than blue-collar workers. This happened because the necessity for white-collar workers decreased. Since A.I. is enough to replace hundreds of intelligent people, the company doesn’t have to hire office workers who are paid more and work slower than A.I.
In some workplaces, job replacement has already started. According to the Washington Post, Eric Fein, a 34-years old copywriter, confessed his work constantly dwindled and eventually disconnected with companies he worked for because of ChatGPT. This happened in months since ChatGPT was released. Since he has to feed his family and himself, he can’t wait until other companies assign work for him. He ended up learning skills to become a plumber.
Not long ago, everybody thought writing and critical thinking were only permitted areas to humans. We could not imagine a job like a copywriter, which demands innovative ideas and advanced writing capabilities, being replaced by AI. However, technological development is faster than expected, and it is essential to acknowledge that AI is eliminating white-collar jobs. If this trend continues, it is only a matter of time before hundreds of millions lose their hard-earned positions.
Another severe side effect is a flooding of false information. Due to A.I., anyone can generate quality images and videos in less than a second. We can easily produce a photo of Donald Trump skydiving with Joe Biden or a video of Steve Jobs using Android. This is a fantastic technology, but it can be abused in various ways.
A few months ago, a manipulated Pentagon photo created by A.I. confused the world. This fake image was disseminated to the world hastily. There have been cases in which not only accounts with blue check marks, but also some media believe and report this on TV.
The issue was resolved as the U.S. Department of Defense confirmed the image’s fakeness, but the stock market was damaged temporarily. This incident highlights A.I.’s danger and showcases how it can confuse the world. In the current situation where even experts and broadcasters can be deceived by fake news or images if they are momentarily careless, no one is safe from the indiscriminate flow of information caused by artificial intelligence.
A.I. is indeed evolving at a rapid pace. It is also true that A.I. functions faster and smarter than humans. However, we should not simply accept their dominance and become complacent in our room. We must take action to find solutions that address the challenges that arise from A.I.
However, there are clear limitations to preventing ongoing problems by creating policies and additional regulations. Therefore, it is essential to focus on fundamental solutions.
To avoid being replaced by the A.I. and being misled by false information, self-development is the first step.
One should constantly cultivate one's own unique ability that A.I. cannot replicate. By doing so, one can remain valuable even during the development of A.I. On the other hand, if one becomes complacent, they will naturally be substituted by A.I.
Furthermore, to survive in a society of indiscriminate information tempest, it is necessary to fact-check everything once again without believing it as it is. We should also refrain from sharing and spreading unconfirmed information on the internet. Being a more cautious person is the most fundamental but effective solution.
Ultimately, the strongest shield to protect yourself from the spears of A.I. and brutal society is oneself.
Reference:
[List of all external resources utilized, APA-cited and enumerate alphabetically]
Goldman Sachs. (2023). The Recent Emergence of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Raises Whether We. https://www.key4biz.it/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Global-Economics-Analyst_-The-Potentially-Large-Effects-of-Artificial-Intelligence-on-Economic-Growth-Briggs_Kodnani.pdf
O’Sullivan, D., & Passantino, J. (2023, May 23). “verified” twitter accounts share fake image of “explosion” near Pentagon, causing confusion | CNN business. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/2023/05/22/tech/twitter-fake-image-pentagon-explosion/index.html
Verma, P., & Vynck, G. D. (2023, June 5). CHATGPT took their jobs. now they walk dogs and fix air conditioners. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/06/02/ai-taking-jobs/
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