This post was originally published on this site.
We’ve all been there. And if you haven’t, what rock have you been living under? Whether you forgot to finish a reading assignment and needed a quick summary, struggled with your math homework like I am right now, wanted a personalized study guide (highly recommend, by the way), or just had a question you needed answered, chances are you’ve used ChatGPT at least once. It’s been an absolute lifesaver for me in so many situations, and I’m sure most stressed college students would agree. Like most great things, though, could it be too good to be true?
I hate to break it to you, but ChatGPT and other Artificial Intelligence platforms might not be the built-in tutor or best friend you thought they were. You may or may not be familiar with the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike, where over 11,000 writers across the country protested for 148 days, demanding standardized and fair work contracts. One of their biggest concerns was the need for safeguards against AI, particularly given the already prevalent issues of job replacement and the loss of credit for their work. The strike ended in what many celebrated as a “victory,” with protections against AI finally being granted. However, the way I see it, this is just the beginning of the never-ending cycle of trying to tame the fire that is AI.
While the strike brought attention to the creative industries, the reality is that it only represents a crumb of AI’s broader sphere of influence. Even jobs that are thought to be safe, like lawyers and healthcare professionals, are at significant risk as AI-powered tools become increasingly capable of performing tasks, such as analyzing legal documents and interpreting medical imaging with high accuracy.
AI doesn’t just threaten jobs; it also directly threatens your security, as it relies on personal data to “personalize” user experiences. Apparently, those long, wordy documents that we quickly scroll to the bottom of just to click “I understand the terms and conditions” actually have important information? What?? All jokes aside, many people overlook the fine print about how these systems collect and use our data, and the creators of these platforms are well aware of this. Have you ever searched for something or even mentioned it out loud, only to later see ads or videos related to it on TikTok or Instagram? It’s not a coincidence, and it’s just one of the ways these systems manipulate our data. If we’re not careful, they can take, sell or even create deepfakes using our personal information.
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So, should you stop using AI? Honestly, if I said yes, I’d be a hypocrite because I’m definitely not planning to stop using it anytime soon. That said, my point isn’t that AI is going to end the world (though, let’s be real, it could). AI could very well be one of humanity’s greatest achievements, and I’m confident it will help us reach even greater heights in the future. But that’s if, and only if, we figure out how to regulate its use in a way that complements the human mind rather than challenges it.
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