A look through recent articles about artificial intelligence reveals a range of reactions to its rapid development. As with new inventions and ideas, some of us gravitate toward them, eagerly exploring their possibilities for making life better; others are uneasy, convinced they are a source of mischief and tragedy. Most are curious, waiting to see where things might be headed.
Here at BoomerTECH Adventures, we’ve had interesting conversations about and experiences with artificial intelligence, or AI. We are reminded that all technology is human-made with the intent of extending our capacity to affect the natural environment for our benefit. There’s a clear line connecting current technological developments with the first humans millions of years ago who picked up a stick or a rock to open a nut, increasing their food supply.
It didn’t take long for them to use the same tools against one another to gain an advantage. All technological advances have the simultaneous capacity for positive and negative consequences. The history of inventions shows that it is impossible to predict what the ultimate impact of technological change will be on the natural world and on ourselves.
Even if the intent of the inventor is to improve the quality of life, there are unintended consequences. In our conversations, we concluded that awareness of potential positives and negatives might be a responsible strategy for using any new tool, including AI. In an effort to raise our own awareness an.