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There has been a lot of news lately about the emerging technology of Artificial Intelligence, or AI. Programs such as Chat GPT are getting so close to human interaction that it becomes hard for some to tell what is produced by AI and what is real.
AI is a technology that allows machines to imitate human intelligence. It enables computers to understand, learn, and make decisions similar to how we do. AI has many applications, such as voice assistants, image recognition, and data analysis. It can help us in various fields, from healthcare to customer service. However, we must consider ethical aspects, like ensuring fairness, privacy, and transparency. AI has the potential to greatly benefit society, but it's important to approach its development and use responsibly, ensuring it serves our needs without compromising our values and well-being.
You may have thought you just read a paragraph that I wrote. You did not. You read a paragraph that Chat GPT wrote after I asked it to "write a 100-word paragraph about AI and explain it like I am 80." The paragraph is not a search result, it was written in about 10 seconds based on what I asked it to do. The more specific your instructions, the more details the results will have. I asked it to explain it using a blue dog for example and it returned 100 words just as quickly using a blue dog to explain AI.
The technology itself is still learning and creating considerable issues. It is not, for instance, always right. I asked it to list former mayors of Marietta and it failed to list many of the people that have led the city. Same thing for presidents of Marietta College. It both cases there were people missing that served, and some listed that never have.
Underestimating the possibilities of AI today though would be unwise.
Global businesses didn't really understand what was possible with the internet when it first came on the scene in 1993. The communication industry, including newspapers, did not fully understand how it would totally change how we communicate with one another. Retail was forever altered by the internet as the act of shopping has continued to move from local retailers to mammoth national retailers. The genie is out of the bottle now and it is impossible to put it back. Everyone is being forced to adapt to the reality that the internet caused.
There is a principle called Moore's Law that basically states that every two years computer power will double while at the same time becoming cheaper. This has held true since the 1960s and is one of the reasons that the internet became possible 30 years ago.
Having faster computers means that you can use them to make more "decisions" instantaneously. When booking an airline ticket, or buying a new pot on Amazon, speed helps your transaction happen very quickly.
The growth of AI is a natural progression of the digital possibilities that have been growing on the internet for three decades. For example, artificial intelligence readers are starting to have a big impact on the audio book market. Based on real humans, virtual readers can read books out loud in a fraction of the time and for a fraction of the cost as a human reader. Call your credit card company, or cell phone provider for support soon and you might get through to what you think is a real person faster but in fact simply be talking to a very well programed AI customer service representative.
AI is not new; the problem is that it is now quickly getting so close to a human interaction that it is hard to tell the difference. With it having the ability to turn out artwork, poetry and the written word in a few seconds AI will most certainly have an impact on everything from teaching to national defense.
Perhaps AI gave the best advice when I asked it to write a 200-page essay on a book called "The Facebook Effect." It said, "Writing a lengthy and comprehensive research paper requires extensive research, analysis, and original content creation, which is beyond my current abilities.
I recommend exploring the book yourself and conducting your own research to gather information and insights for your paper." Perhaps AI understands the issue better than mere humans.
Art Smith is online manager of The Times, he can be reached at asmith@mariettatimes.com