AI Technology Is Taking Over

    Artificial intelligence is not something I think about often, but it is all around us day and night. In the documentary on Frontline, About AI, I learned tons of shocking and frightening information. This shouldn’t be anything new or surprising since AI has been around for a while now, but many people should be aware of its impacts and possible destruction. 

 

    AI technology began its fame when the system known as AlphaGo beat the most influential Go player, Lee Sedol. Go is a viral and challenging game in South Korea and other countries. Lee Sedol wanted to challenge this new computer technology and, unfortunately for him and his accomplishments, he lost 1-4 to AlphaGo. Since then, AI has only become more prominent and well-known all around the world.

    One of the most controversial issues about AI technology is that it is taking away jobs from those who need them most. Especially with our economy today, it is hard to afford the things that are necessities. Not everyone holds a college degree and factory workers rely on their jobs to be able to pay for what is needed. Something I found interesting is that women hold most of the jobs in automation and that is a worse position to be in when single women need to provide for children. Most people aren’t living the lives they want within these jobs and are being let off because of this new AI technology that is taking over the automation industry.

    In the documentary, something that really made me think and realize how scary this world we live in really is was when Zuboff said that we aren’t searching Google, but Google is searching us. That is incredibly scary to think about as we scan the internet on a daily basis. I want to be able to go online when needed for college or just to search for something quickly without having my information looked at. The video also discussed digital exhaust, which is when there is a surplus of data for companies. They have begun using this data in their favor by competing with other companies and closely observing their own businesses. Along this those, they tend to use this data to make predictions about other people and what they want or need in order to be customers. While this data may help businesses grow, this is not beneficial to those whose information is available for others to look at.

 

    Observing someone's information isn’t just through the internet. Google Home and Amazon Alexa home devices are meant the be there to help, but how helpful are they really? These devices are listening in at all times as long as it is plugged in, and that is terrifying. I shouldn’t have to watch what I say when I am in the comfort of my own home. I have no doubt that all technology is listening to us and what we say and do. We should be able to have private lives and feel comforted knowing we can keep our information safe and secure.

    While this new AI technology is faster than people and can even sometimes be more reliable too, it doesn’t change the fact that it is still causing harm. In an attempt to ease some discomfort, a law was passed in California adding a “do not sell my information” button on sites. This is a step in the right direction since there will never be a time when we will be 100% private. It is scary when people do not realize what is happening and are all for it. There is so much happening with our information that we are not made aware of. It is nerve-racking knowing that some stranger knows something private about me or even has a hold of pictures of me from my social media and other family members who post me online. With the world we live in today, the ever-growing technology will never be completely private, but we can still take steps in the direction to help this issue.