Artificial Intelligence for the Good of the Planet

Is it a good thing to let the development of artificial intelligence continue without any discussions of both the benefits but also the more dark side of the systems developed today?

Credits to Dj_Maura published on Pixabay

The development of systems based on artificial intelligence is accelerating at an unabated pace. The most powerful models and the systems required to run the models are being developed by a few giants with enormous capital behind them. These giants do not focus on the development of society, the benefit of the majority of people or the well-being of the planet. Despite what they may say, they are interested in making even more money for themselves and their financiers.

Another side of the matter is how the number of available jobs will be affected by the introduction of functions based on artificial intelligence. Dario Modei at Anthropic, one of the AI ​​giants, says that half of all simple office jobs will be replaced by an AI within five years. Microsoft has reduced its workforce by 6,000 jobs, with both developers and engineers having to leave. Mark Zuckerberg has similar thoughts, who believes that technology will make many developers obsolete.

These are warning signs we need to heed, not later but now. Many will lose their jobs. It is time to ensure that those who make the big bucks from exploiting their fellow human beings are made to pay for the consequences of what their products do. It is time to raise our voices against decision-makers at all levels where we have the opportunity to influence developments.

With a few giants who have enormous capital behind them, capital that in many cases comes through the data their systems collect about each of us and which is then sold to others so that they can control which ads we are offered or which information we are given.

To counteract this and take back control of our digital lives, powerful systems built on artificial intelligence need to be created in collaboration and interaction between people with the interest, knowledge and ability to construct both the systems and their algorithms. These systems must have the starting point of everyone having the right to their own digital image. The systems should allow people to move from systems built and controlled by the giants to systems that treat everyone as individuals with the right to complete privacy. These systems should also work to develop solutions to many of the problems that we humans have created. Problems with environmental degradation, energy supply, education, influence or poverty, just to name a few. All solutions that emerge should be published for free use by whoever it may be.

Credits to GregorQuendel published on Pixabay

A big question is how such an activity would be financed and where such systems would be located? Crowdfunding is one example, but another is that people with plenty of finances can be persuaded to abandon the current model to invest in the new model. Of course, it would be best if one of the tech billionaires realized that the way the person created his wealth is based on incorrect assumptions and that in the long run they are only detrimental to us all. Such a person could invest his capital in building systems that are good for humanity and not for the bank accounts and secluded luxury lives of a few people.

Be conscious

Ulf