Saturday, July 19, 2025

Artificial Intelligence Breeds Mindless Inhumanity

 Introduction to AI Studies

- Started studying AI in mid-1980s.

- Interest centered on information rather than machines.

- Fascinated by the shift from the late Industrial Age to the early Information Age.

Impact of Computers on Information Economics

- Computers change the economics of information.

- Easier access to abundant, high-quality information is now available.

- Theoretically leads to better decisions, strategies, and policies, but practical outcomes vary.

Consequences of Information Abundance

- Scarcity increases value; abundance decreases it.

- Historically, information was scarce and valuable.

- Professionals needed years of study to gain knowledge and command high fees.

Current Information Landscape

- Information availability has exploded; reliance on smartphones for answers is common.

- Many people, especially students, have weak general knowledge due to overabundance.

- Smartphones became prevalent since 2011; now over 90% of Americans and 95% of teens have access.

Challenges in Education

- Cultural shifts diminish traditional learning practices.

- Students lack discipline in knowledge acquisition.

- Instant information lookup harms comprehension and moral reasoning.

Limitations of Quick Information Access

- Lookup provides facts but not deeper understanding or ethical insights.

- Recent AI tools aim to address understanding but may also perpetuate biases.

Risks of Overreliance on AI

- AI systems tend to reflect popular views and cognitive biases.

- Examples of problematic content illustrated by recent incidents.

- Information abundance leads to diminished understanding and moral reasoning.

Consequences for Future Generations

- Decisions and actions may worsen despite more information.

- Outsourcing knowledge compromises comprehension and judgment.

- Generation at risk of becoming credentialed yet lacking in morality and intellect.

Potential Solutions

- Returning to values of the past, such as faith in a higher power, may provide a way forward.

- Current trajectory suggests a dark future shaped by shallow understanding and moral decay. 

https://realclearwire.com/articles/2025/07/15/artificial_intelligence_breeds_mindless_inhumanity_1122667.html

No comments: