Jesse Kelly recently engaged in a thought-provoking discussion with Joe Allen, a tech expert and author of the book Dark Aeon. Their conversation revolved around the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) and its profound implications for humanity.
Allen traced the origins of AI, emphasizing how it has developed from a mere concept into complex systems capable of seemingly human-like interactions. “In short, artificial intelligence is software that thinks in scare quotes, thinks sort of like a human,” he stated, making it clear that while these systems exhibit some cognitive functions, they lack true understanding.
In the early days, AI was rudimentary, barely crossing the threshold of intelligence. Allen explained that by 2020, with advancements made by companies like OpenAI, AI began exhibiting behaviors that were somewhat unnerving. As he described, these advancements involved not only improvements to the software but also a significant increase in the volume of data and computational power backing it. “It started doing really weird things,” he noted, highlighting the transformation from basic responses to outputs that could mimic human conversation.
Allen elaborated on the difference between early chatbots, which relied on scripted responses, and modern AI systems, which are trained on extensive datasets. “The newer systems have trained on basically all available human text on the internet, in books, and now more and more they are being trained on conversations people will have had with AI.”
This training process gives modern AI a surprisingly human quality. It allows the systems to produce coherent responses and tackle complex academic challenges. Allen asserted that this new generation of AI can solve advanced math problems and formulate actionable scientific experiments. “It can give you responses on any high-level academic question that you have at a PhD level,” he explained, showcasing the technology’s vast potential.
However, this sophistication comes with caveats. Allen warned, “It just makes things up, and it makes things up and says it authoritatively.” This ability to fabricate information poses a significant risk. He went further, suggesting that society is facing an “active war against the human race” through the misuse of AI technologies. Allen emphasized the importance of recognizing the errors in the information produced by these systems, framing it as a form of incoming fire that must be analyzed carefully.
In his assessment, the increasing frequency and accuracy of the AI’s ‘hits’—meaning the misleading or erroneous outputs—deserves serious attention. Understandably, this dialogue points to a broader conversation about the future of humanity in the face of rapidly advancing technology. Kelly and Allen’s exchange does not provide easy answers but raises vital questions about the role of AI in everyday life and the potential consequences of its unchecked rise.
The discussion serves as a reminder of the delicate balance society must maintain while navigating the benefits and risks associated with artificial intelligence. As these technologies continue to evolve, the imperative to scrutinize their applications becomes increasingly critical.
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