Why AI Is Problematic?!

Why is AI problematic? What a loaded title for this blog post. I keep seeing AI used more and more in everyday life, and I think we should start discussing why it is a bad thing. I'm seeing more bloggers use AI to help assist them, and I kinda get it - I've used it in the past to generate ideas and out of sheer curiosity about how it works. But I think I've evolved as a person and really changed my thoughts on it. It's good to self-reflect. Anyway, in today's blog, we're going to talk about why AI is problematic, and basically, that I think we should boycott it and DO OUR OWN research. I know there are some legitimate good things for AI, too - like healthcare things, and I definitely enjoying being able to use an automated check out when I'm at the supermarket. The problem is how pervasive AI is now.

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Why AI Is Problematic?!

• It is SOOO bad for the environment - just one simple AI search can use a whole warehouse full of water. Shouldn't we be giving that water to the people who need it? Or just not wasting water in general. I wonder how AI will change the impacts of climate change. With an increase in bush fires, we really don't wanna be wasting so much water.

• It creates deep fakes - and not everyone can spot these. People may also not consent to having deep fakes made of them. And yes, I'm sure some silly videos are harmless, but the problem is when deep fakes are made of children by predators. How gross is that? Deep fakes can also spread misinformation, and we don't need that in an ever-increasing fascist world. Deep fakes are also problematic for women when people create s*xual content of them, that's not them.

• It may lead to a system where we each have "social credits" - yep, exactly like the Black Mirror episode you're thinking of. This would just create so many internal biases towards others.

• Mass unemployment - many jobs may become obsolete, especially the lower SES jobs, and it may increase poverty rates. That's not to say it can't increase jobs.

• Challenges for higher education - I heard that some universities are allowing AI to be used in assignments, and as an academic myself, just UGH! I know if I were still marking essays now, I wouldn't want to be reading AI-written work. It's much more fun when people think critically for themselves.

• Incorrect information - Sometimes, with the Google AI, it will feed you incorrect information. And in turn, this may create biases. The loop is never-ending because it will keep feeding out this information, because the AI thinks it's correct.

• AI may be influencing what things we are consuming. A quote from a mechanical engineer explains this way better than I can:

"We are already facing the negative outcomes of AI. For example, take recommendation algorithms for streaming services: the types of shows you see are influenced by the shows recommended to you by an artificial agent. More generally, today's AI systems influence human decision making at multiple levels: from viewing habits to purchasing decisions, from political opinions to social values. To say that the consequences of AI is a problem for future generations ignores the reality in front of us — our everyday lives are already being influenced. Artificial intelligence — in its current form — is largely unregulated and unfettered. Companies and institutions are free to develop the algorithms that maximize their profit, their engagement, their impact. I don't worry about some dystopian future; I worry about the reality we have right now, and how we integrate the amazing possibilities of artificial intelligence into human-centered systems."

• We may see less critical thinking in general if people rely on AI too much.

• AI connection could take over human connection, ugh.

• If AI takes over things like psychologists, then we lose even more human connection and intimacy.

• The issues of plagiarism - i.e., AI is just taking other people's artwork. Like, come on? And yes, I've used the Canva AI app to create images before, and it's not a good thing. Also, it's pretty easy at the moment to spot AI creations if you know what to look for, BUT as it gets better and better, it will be harder to spot. This really sucks for the creatives who put so much work into their art/music, etc., for someone else to push a button and it gets stolen.

• Hacking may become easier for people with the help of AI.

• Lack of transparency from AI - like how did it get to a certain conclusion? Show your work, AI! It's year 10 maths all over again.

• Social manipulation through algorithms - it's becoming harder to tell what's real and what's not, although I'm glad people know the animals on trampolines are created by AI (sorry, I know some of these points are a bit repetitive).

• Social surveillance - We already live with Big Brother, and it's just going to get worse with the rise in AI systems and more people using them. This could lead to algorithms that "predict" crimes that are going to occur, and even further, to facial recognition.

• Inequality could be on the rise if companies don't think about AI biases - AI has racial biases, and that's most likely because it was created by rich white men, and in turn, reinforces hegemonic masculinity. GAH!

• I don't think it has government regulations, which may be detrimental in the long run.

• I hate that AI is everywhere - in every single social media app and in Google and randomly pops up on my laptop wanting me to try Copilot, no thank you, I like doing it myself! I am a creative!!

There are so many really good articles on the dark side of AI that I'll let you research yourself. BUT in my little rant here, it's not to say there aren't good things that have come out of AI, like AI in healthcare, as I mentioned earlier. I just think we should be thinking about environmental impacts and also who it disadvantages and who it advantages.

Thank you for reading! Ash x

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