As Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology continues to advance, how do we balance innovation with responsibility?
Story and Illustrations by Wee Yan Ling
The Double-Edged Sword for Society
The Double-Edged Sword for Society
Chat GPT has swept the world by storm, attaining 100 million users in 2 months. It has risen to fame due to the array of functions that it is able to execute, from answering complex questions to assisting with tasks.
I have heard of many instances where people turn to ChatGPT for their homework. Such a handy tool right? I beg to differ! What about those students who used ChatGPT to cheat on their tests? No good would derive from it if it's reduced to a tool for the purpose of handing in your assignments on time.
I deem ChatGPT the software designed for the inevitable death of creativity. What if we all conform to what the chatbot tells us to write, do, or live? I fear the day we become “governed” by an entity that lacks a pulse, sentience and consciousness.
The Guardian justifies my worries with the news that a judge had used ChatGPT in his ruling. The presence of the software in the ruling has broken the limit of what I thought was possible. Would you want a robot deciding your fate in court?
Never would I have thought that humans, who are blessed with sentience and self-awareness, would advance to the stage where they have to solicit advice of this sort from a lifeless entity that lacks morality and humanity.
If humans continue to push the limits of ChatGPT, they might be able to commit fraud, cybercrimes and other criminal activities. I fear the day ChatGPT contributes towards the detriment of the human race, becoming a weapon wielded against the very humans who invented it in the first place.
Technology of Deception and the Threat to Truth
Technology of Deception and The Threat to Truth
According to Oxford Dictionary, deepfake is a video of a person in which their face or body has been digitally altered so that they appear to be someone else.
Deepfake has always amazed me, constantly surpassing what I thought possible, for instance – reviving the dead. Filmmakers are able to resurrect the dead to star in movies, whereas others use them to mourn for the death of their loved ones.
The TikTok trend of using deepfake technology to bring deceased family members back to life always left me in tears due to how relatable and heart wrenching it feels. From the joyous emotions seeing your loved ones in a video again almost as if they were still alive, then the crushing realisation of reality, bringing you back to your depressed state. This is the vicious rollercoaster of emotions deepfake can elicit.
Despite that, I detest how accessible deepfake is to the public because it enables people to use it for immoral purposes. Everyone is at the mercy of this master of deception.
According to Deeptrave Labs, deepfake videos online were mostly used to degrade women as their faces have been superimposed into sexual fantasies without their consent, accounting for 96% of deepfakes online.
I strongly believe that the accessibility of deepfake should be regulated, or imposed as a crime in the use of unprofessional settings to deter people from exploiting the software.
The Rise of AI-Powered Virtual Personalities
The Rise of AI-Powered Virtual Personalities
K-pop group, PLAVE, is created by a Korean Artificial Intelligence company. They use AI to produce music, choreography and visuals for the group.
Successfully creating distinct virtual personalities for each of the members, it has led to a breakthrough in what is possible in terms of creativity and innovation. Their advent has inspired many to break limits in their own work.
It is gratifying to see limitations being broken in terms of physical appearance, performance and expression, while also allowing the creator to fully express themselves and be creative in their own light.
However, despite the popularity of virtual personalities, I still prefer the connection made with humans. Being able to connect with a human surpasses the experience of looking up to a flawless AI personality without feelings and emotions.
The mere thought of entire industries becoming obsolete and humans losing their livelihood due to the advancement and prevalence of AI is enough to fill me with dread.
AI has brought about a lot of benefits and risks to society, making it vital for us to use these innovations responsibly. The ethical questions raised are warning signs for us to consider the implications of this technology, and how we can regulate it responsibly before it regulates us instead.