One can say with some certainty that socialization drives human motivations, success and failures and that socialization is driven by one’s relationship to technology. Fire was a technology. Planting grain was a technology. Making blades from stone was a technology. Putting a string to a pliable stick to make a bow was a technology. Smelting metal tools from ore was a technology. Alphabets were a technology. For Adam Smith, the “factory” was a technology that permitted creation of the “wealth” of nations. AI is also a technology.
What if the socialization coming from the use of AI is learned helplessness, other-directed personalities with no sense of meaning in life and an inability to commit and the evaporation of personal agency – all resulting from dependency on what the AI algorithms tell us to do and what to believe?
Mark Zuckeberg’s recent essay reveals Zuckerberg’s anxieties – what is he giving us?
There is the story of Jesus on the mountain top with Satan as a caution about technology.
Satan took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” (One can think of what Satan offered as highly functional human technologies.)
Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.” Then Satan left him and angels came and attended him.
Please join us at 9:00 am (CDT) on Thursday, August 27 on Zoom for a round table discussion of AI and share your optimisms and your concerns.
To register, please email jed@cauxroundtable.net.
Event will last about an hour.