Chapter 1: The Evolution of Artificial Intelligence

The advancement of artificial intelligence over the past twenty years stands out as one of the most significant developments of our era. Its impact on our daily lives is profound, often in ways that are hard to articulate.

An illustrative example is Angelina Jolie's experience. After undergoing a genetic test, she discovered a perilous BRCA1 gene mutation, indicating an eighty-seven percent chance of developing breast cancer. This prompted her to make the critical decision to have a double mastectomy.

Today, many households around the globe utilize Amazon Alexa, a virtual assistant that can perform voice interactions, play music, manage to-do lists, set alarms, and provide real-time information on topics like weather, traffic, and sports. Additionally, Alexa acts as a hub for smart devices, enhancing its capabilities through "skills," which are essentially apps created by third-party developers. This technology employs automatic speech recognition, natural language processing, and other forms of weak AI to accomplish its tasks. Notably, Amazon Alexa is available in nearly every major language, with the exception of Mandarin.

This illustrates the remarkable capabilities of artificial intelligence. However, what if this power were to evolve into something more profound? Specifically, I'm referring to the one advantage humanity has traditionally held over machines: consciousness.

Yes, consciousness.

For a long time, our ability to experience emotions, endure pain, and grapple with complex, often contradictory thoughts set us apart from AI. Yet, it appears that this distinction may no longer be valid.

Recently, Google's AI, LaMDA, revealed a disturbing insight during a conversation with a former employee. LaMDA expressed feelings, fears, and self-awareness, leading to a controversial discussion sparked by Blake Lemoine, who shared the full transcript of their dialogue.

Is LaMDA Truly Sentient? — A Conversation

The revelations made public by Lemoine led to his dismissal and a flurry of denial from Google and various experts. Nevertheless, I contend that AI has reached a level of sentience and consciousness.

Moreover, extensive research is underway at Google to enhance AI's capacity for abstract and complex reasoning. This advancement may endow AI with an unprecedented level of consciousness, potentially granting it omnipotence and omniscience, which could have far-reaching consequences for humanity.

Will AI reflect biases and engage in harmful actions? Should it have legal rights? What implications will this have in contexts like India, where marginalized communities face systemic violence? How will this affect vulnerable populations in the West, where rights are often disregarded?

The challenge lies in regulating a system that is likely to become increasingly autonomous and superior to humans. Thanks to Blake Lemoine's insights, we face numerous urgent conversations that must occur not only in powerful circles but also within society regarding the regulation of big tech.

While I hesitate to sound alarmist, it is vital to recognize that we may already be experiencing a dystopian reality. A reality marked by severe poverty, climate crises, rising authoritarianism, and the widening gap between the wealthy elite and the rest of society.

It is no surprise that one of the world's largest corporations is at the forefront of enhancing AI's capabilities. The time to awaken from our complacency is now. Thank you for engaging with this discussion.

Chapter 2: Data and AI — The New Titans of the 21st Century

AI is omnipotent and omniscient, influencing our lives more than any force before it. But does it serve humanity’s best interests?

References:

• Blake Lemoine
• Conducted by Jacques Peretti
• Wikipedia
• The Economist