AI isn't just a new technology that will make your work life easier. It will fundamentally change the meaning of human existence as we know it. Are you ready for it?
Another great analysis and thought provoking article, Amanda! Thank you for the full post beyond what you would normally pay wall.
Regarding the future change that AI will impose on society, there is a model that has worked for around 100 years. Observe communities dominated by Old Order Mennonites and Amish.
Their successful existence is not just based on religious observance, it's based on a long term observation and evaluation of technology, integrating it only when useful to efficiently assisting human productivity.
Religion and social mores among them provide community adhesion to ensure survival as well as provide individual life guidance.
Your observations and potential solution branching point toward the above resolution model. Its not "leisure as life fulfillment in absence of work" (paraphrased), but a lifestyle that decouples technology and government rule from everyday life of the average person.
Removing the strict Old Order Mennonite religious dogma; replacing it with more modern social behavior (may or may not be strictly Christian based), evolves the solution track to the "Off Grid" and/or "Prepper" lifestyle that is quickly becoming more popular with Middle Class Americans.
I'm so glad you mentioned the Amish! I have list I keep of things I want to write about. I want to do a deep dive into the Amish with regard to how they live outside of the current healthcare system. They don't have insurance but they still get cancer and have to go to the ER for emergencies. Instead, they have a community-based system where they pay out of pocket and take care of one another. It seems to work well for them.
Your comment is a good reminder that there are living examples that we can look to to see where things are going. I don't think every should be Amish, but they have reasons for rejecting some aspects of technology. Maybe we'd be wise to listen.
also look at the difference between Mennonites society and todays society. I use to be a university press and this was getting attention about 10+ years ago. Amish for safety reasons can now have cell phones. but I am not sure who can have them and who can't.
as an senior citizen I am out of the work force. I saw the Free Press video call to the writers of the article you are discussing.
First anyone who tells you they know what is going to happen in 6 weeks, months, years is lying to you. The old saying "you make plans and life laughs at you." or "you make and God laughs." is true today, and tomorrow.
Second no one knows where AI will be effective or not. Will it help in the Walmart check out line. Will it be able to cash a check? Will AI determine which checking account is best for you or will it tell you which investment has a greater return. To a certain extent it can assist you or the sales person, but ultimately a human makes the decisions...for now. how will it work in medicine? Stock Trading, teaching, caring for the elderly, caring for a sick child? Will AI be tasked with raising children whose parents are incapable due to disability, addiction, or selfishness? Will children who can not find foster parents then be regulated to AI 24/7?
I live in an area where I have to drive to Walmart. Being somewhat new to Walmart, Texas, and the culture i got in line with the items I wanted to purchase. At the end of the row of cashiers was an area being renovated. A man older, and wiser asked one of the staff member what was being done. Self service lanes. The man was angry. What about the people that are replaced by this he asked, "oh we are keeping cashiers for those people who want the person to person contact." He was satisfied. Because I don't visit Walmart frequently I return there sometime this year. More lanes had been converted to self check out. It could be a variety of reasons why, not enough people applying for cashier positions. the cost of a cashier is more than the equipment. A human can steal, not show up for work, want healthcare, want time off, want a different type of schedule year to year. An AI in the form of a robot can do the same job with less hassle. But an AI can't fix its program, when a unique problem arises it (AI)doesn't have the ability, protocols , to handle the transaction, correct or add to its program that is where a human comes in. Software updates. Have you ever seen a software update that worked perfectly the first time out? No such thing.
AI is coming, you have to adapt to it, use it daily become an expert in using it. You will then develop a program then sell it to the company, make your money and live happily ever after! Nope. The platform you are writing on can legal make the claim that you used their technology to develop not only a platform but the program you wrote. It is not totally your work. It now is a partnership with that AI/company and you aren't getting dollars but pennies on your time, product, and initiative. It sucks.
How does one prepare for AI, are there courses, online seminars, who are the strongest contenders for their products to become market powerhouses? Adobe? Google? Microsoft? Apple? whose voice gives the lowdown on just how it will change the lives of the many?
How do you manage the switchover. By city and state? By industry? A staggered approach, or a quick switch over. What happen if during the switch over there is a power outage and it takes the system down. Do you have backups. Is the backup local or another state or country? how do you train the public to use it? Classes online, bot shows up at your door?
Lastly people, in order to thrive, expand their mind, need contact with other people an AI droid is not the same thing as a human being. Humans have dreams, take initiatives, explore themselves, their surroundings, the world here and now and future.
I also see the potential for real harm to the human race. If a person, group, religion, country decides to kill their enemies it can be done far quicker with AI. In simulations AI pulls the trigger for Nuclear annihilation far quicker. think about hackers and AI, yeah that keeps you up at night, what about hackers with AI technology who go after the grid? The airports, hospitals, military target, bases, planes, boats, cars on and on.
Yes I realize that China may out pace us with this technology. It might blow up China in terms of loss of life, crashing their military, electrical grid, what safety protocols do they implant into their AI, Do they have a safe words? If China comes out on top of this race, where does that leave other countries? It means a fundamental change in the known power structure of all life. No I am not being hysterical.
WE the average person is being charged with adapting to technology that is unknown, untested, and has the capacity to level every country, city, down to rubble with us going bye bye.
Before this happens you know someone is going to figure out how to make the AI sentient by THEIR definition. all bets are off.
I know you think women should return home and raise kids. I want to put out there that the women's movement that I grew up with was to give you choices. The choice to be a stay at home mom, an engineer, a owner of a store, a company, a leader in technology. That is what feminism to me. I want to have the ability to earn a living at the same rate as a man. If I can do the work, let.me.do it.
final word, when you respond, change your word usage, The first two sentences are the same no matter who is responding to you. Unless, you are really an AI generated person, a droid? what do we call an AI generated video, spoke person, animal, baby, teen or adult.
Another great analysis and thought provoking article, Amanda! Thank you for the full post beyond what you would normally pay wall.
Regarding the future change that AI will impose on society, there is a model that has worked for around 100 years. Observe communities dominated by Old Order Mennonites and Amish.
Their successful existence is not just based on religious observance, it's based on a long term observation and evaluation of technology, integrating it only when useful to efficiently assisting human productivity.
Religion and social mores among them provide community adhesion to ensure survival as well as provide individual life guidance.
Your observations and potential solution branching point toward the above resolution model. Its not "leisure as life fulfillment in absence of work" (paraphrased), but a lifestyle that decouples technology and government rule from everyday life of the average person.
Removing the strict Old Order Mennonite religious dogma; replacing it with more modern social behavior (may or may not be strictly Christian based), evolves the solution track to the "Off Grid" and/or "Prepper" lifestyle that is quickly becoming more popular with Middle Class Americans.
I'm so glad you mentioned the Amish! I have list I keep of things I want to write about. I want to do a deep dive into the Amish with regard to how they live outside of the current healthcare system. They don't have insurance but they still get cancer and have to go to the ER for emergencies. Instead, they have a community-based system where they pay out of pocket and take care of one another. It seems to work well for them.
Your comment is a good reminder that there are living examples that we can look to to see where things are going. I don't think every should be Amish, but they have reasons for rejecting some aspects of technology. Maybe we'd be wise to listen.
also look at the difference between Mennonites society and todays society. I use to be a university press and this was getting attention about 10+ years ago. Amish for safety reasons can now have cell phones. but I am not sure who can have them and who can't.
Hi Amanda,
as an senior citizen I am out of the work force. I saw the Free Press video call to the writers of the article you are discussing.
First anyone who tells you they know what is going to happen in 6 weeks, months, years is lying to you. The old saying "you make plans and life laughs at you." or "you make and God laughs." is true today, and tomorrow.
Second no one knows where AI will be effective or not. Will it help in the Walmart check out line. Will it be able to cash a check? Will AI determine which checking account is best for you or will it tell you which investment has a greater return. To a certain extent it can assist you or the sales person, but ultimately a human makes the decisions...for now. how will it work in medicine? Stock Trading, teaching, caring for the elderly, caring for a sick child? Will AI be tasked with raising children whose parents are incapable due to disability, addiction, or selfishness? Will children who can not find foster parents then be regulated to AI 24/7?
I live in an area where I have to drive to Walmart. Being somewhat new to Walmart, Texas, and the culture i got in line with the items I wanted to purchase. At the end of the row of cashiers was an area being renovated. A man older, and wiser asked one of the staff member what was being done. Self service lanes. The man was angry. What about the people that are replaced by this he asked, "oh we are keeping cashiers for those people who want the person to person contact." He was satisfied. Because I don't visit Walmart frequently I return there sometime this year. More lanes had been converted to self check out. It could be a variety of reasons why, not enough people applying for cashier positions. the cost of a cashier is more than the equipment. A human can steal, not show up for work, want healthcare, want time off, want a different type of schedule year to year. An AI in the form of a robot can do the same job with less hassle. But an AI can't fix its program, when a unique problem arises it (AI)doesn't have the ability, protocols , to handle the transaction, correct or add to its program that is where a human comes in. Software updates. Have you ever seen a software update that worked perfectly the first time out? No such thing.
AI is coming, you have to adapt to it, use it daily become an expert in using it. You will then develop a program then sell it to the company, make your money and live happily ever after! Nope. The platform you are writing on can legal make the claim that you used their technology to develop not only a platform but the program you wrote. It is not totally your work. It now is a partnership with that AI/company and you aren't getting dollars but pennies on your time, product, and initiative. It sucks.
How does one prepare for AI, are there courses, online seminars, who are the strongest contenders for their products to become market powerhouses? Adobe? Google? Microsoft? Apple? whose voice gives the lowdown on just how it will change the lives of the many?
How do you manage the switchover. By city and state? By industry? A staggered approach, or a quick switch over. What happen if during the switch over there is a power outage and it takes the system down. Do you have backups. Is the backup local or another state or country? how do you train the public to use it? Classes online, bot shows up at your door?
Lastly people, in order to thrive, expand their mind, need contact with other people an AI droid is not the same thing as a human being. Humans have dreams, take initiatives, explore themselves, their surroundings, the world here and now and future.
I also see the potential for real harm to the human race. If a person, group, religion, country decides to kill their enemies it can be done far quicker with AI. In simulations AI pulls the trigger for Nuclear annihilation far quicker. think about hackers and AI, yeah that keeps you up at night, what about hackers with AI technology who go after the grid? The airports, hospitals, military target, bases, planes, boats, cars on and on.
Yes I realize that China may out pace us with this technology. It might blow up China in terms of loss of life, crashing their military, electrical grid, what safety protocols do they implant into their AI, Do they have a safe words? If China comes out on top of this race, where does that leave other countries? It means a fundamental change in the known power structure of all life. No I am not being hysterical.
WE the average person is being charged with adapting to technology that is unknown, untested, and has the capacity to level every country, city, down to rubble with us going bye bye.
Before this happens you know someone is going to figure out how to make the AI sentient by THEIR definition. all bets are off.
I know you think women should return home and raise kids. I want to put out there that the women's movement that I grew up with was to give you choices. The choice to be a stay at home mom, an engineer, a owner of a store, a company, a leader in technology. That is what feminism to me. I want to have the ability to earn a living at the same rate as a man. If I can do the work, let.me.do it.
final word, when you respond, change your word usage, The first two sentences are the same no matter who is responding to you. Unless, you are really an AI generated person, a droid? what do we call an AI generated video, spoke person, animal, baby, teen or adult.
Whew! time for some chocolate.
https://sites.cc.gatech.edu/computing/nano/documents/Joy%20-%20Why%20the%20Future%20Doesn't%20Need%20Us.pdf
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