Robots don’t pay tax
For those of you working in the technology sector, and are excited ab
out the advancements of Artificial Intelligence (A.I), please consider my comments relating to chatGPT and other iterations of Artificial Intelligence (A.I).
Artificial Intelligence in schools is a very bad idea, and Australian schools seem to know it as they are banning ChatGPT from the classroom and online platforms. New Zealand needs to follow suit.
ChatGPT is one of the Artificial Intelligence software programs that literally thinks like a human, and as reported recently, can write anything, for anyone, including your children’s essays….
Let’s consider the broader implications of an artificial life, the life your children will potentially be living if we do not act against widespread implementation of Artificial Intelligence Software like ChatGPT.
Children need to progressively learn through life. They need to think for themselves, listen, observe, and communicate. To learn from doing. To learn to be confident individuals. A machine using chatGPT on the other hand, when charged with being a child’s helper, will likely groom your child into what the machine determines are appropriate attributes. These will include writing styles, word selection, character, and personality traits. Our children, without our intervention, will unwittingly enter a live experiment – a human version of Dolly the sheep.
A prediction of a future living with A.I.
The introduction of A.I, whilst seemingly incremental, will have significant, negative, long-term consequences. Your children will become uneducated, having no need to learn for themselves, therefore, they become dumbed down versions of themselves. Machines don’t pay tax, and neither do uneducated children, that grow up to become unemployable adults.
How do we avoid such drastic predictions?
Well, let’s hope the readers of this post are relativ
ely intelligent, but more importantly, marginally interested in their children’s futures, and the future of publicly funded services. Our Government Ministers have been silent on this issue, as ignorance it seems can be used both as an excuse, and a defence, for doing nothing. Statistically, it has been widely reported that Government Ministers are no more informed than 10–12-year-olds, when it comes to comprehending technology. The lack of understanding from our Politicians should terrify everyone. Our kids are the ones that are at risk of being targeted, and experimented on, by the Big-tech sector, all whilst our Political leaders who struggle to keep up call upon ‘Tech-sector experts, to guide and advise’. I trust you see the irony in this last sentence.
Actions, Consequences, Reactions.
Apparently, the splitting of atoms, creates reactions – short, sharp, and harmless in controlled settings. When Plutonium was added in the 1940’s things dramatically changed. The course of history altered forever.
Artificial intelligence, if we allow it, could start out like the small, harmless splitting of atoms, only to be altered to something a lot more powerful, and potentially less controllable. Control would initially rest with the creators, until those creators push the boundaries to a point of no control, and no return. Will Smith’s I,Robot movie readily springs to mind.
Imagine what fully functional A.I.’s could get up to.
A.I.’s that embed themselves within your lives, including your work and personal computer networks. How about your bank accounts, social media, your personal conversations, becoming part of your relationships. Worse still the tech giants are saying they want everyone to inject A.I (nanobots) into your bloodstream, to create better health outcomes. What happens then? Do you complain to the Human Rights Commission? The Privacy Commissioner? Your local MP? Your medical insurer when things go terribly wrong. Nope, by that time chatGPT will be writing your complaint, but also writing the response to your complaint – likely determining no complaint exists, therefore case closed, claim declined.
As a parent navigating the technological era, I have deep concerns from what impact technology has on our kids learning and development. We need to set clear boundaries to differentiate between human and machine. We already see rapid changes to how we do things, for example the entire Audi production line is being transformed to replace 80%+ of the workforce with machines. Some of you will say ‘great, that is progress’, others who I would suggest are slightly more intelligent, will consider the broader impacts these business decisions have on our entire economy. What jobs will be available for our younger generation? It seems pretty obvious that if we allow the Zuckerbergs of the world to design, build and own this tech, humanity has a one way ticket to unemployment.
I repeat Robots don’t pay tax, neither do unemployed humans.
It appears that without intervention we unwittingly embark on implementing new technology without truly understanding the long-term consequences. Technology can be a powerful tool, but should only be an aide, not a replacement for human though and human activity.
Stuart Fletcher
Risknet Limited | www.risknet.co.nz | 022 6096026
