AI ... Spawn of the Devil?
“We must realize that modern civilization is thoroughly oriented towards dehumanizing humanity in every possible way; that is to say, we are fast turning into robots or statues with no human souls. Our task is to get humanized once more.” — D. T. Suzuki
AI is for the ignorant. No, not like "ignorant" like you don't know something or other. But, this: "Ignorant", as in taking the false to be real, and the real to be false. Living distracted by the phantasmagoria. "Asshole" is the le mot juste on that.
The foundation basis for Artificial Intelligence is the idea that, if information is good, lots of it is better. And, what could be better than all the information, aggregated and considered by an oh-so-smart computer. Who would argue with that? A computer what got it's origin inputs from who knows and where.
As far as that goes, like it's a virtual cubby hole of all the known facts — can AI know any new facts, or just rearrange the facts that have already been inputted into it?
Fine. Access to information is a good thing. Theoretically. But that depends on what one is accessing the information for what purpose. Or, will AI be able to suss the malefactors and deny access? And, having sussed, go shush to the bad guys. Depends, I suppose, on the ones that give AI it's marching orders. Bad guys are surely there to take advantage. And, even those with the best intentions, are they self aware enough and motivated to the Hightest Good; or are there skeletons in their closets under lock and key; but there nonetheless and operating under the surface. Unconscious little devils.
The tell with AI is simple to read. As long as you're not all distracted with the endless permutations of acquiring practical knowledge, that is. The Achilles Heel of AI is ... it's artificial, bruh! Capische? Who said it: "All information is ignorance." To understand that little ditty, read I AM THAT by Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj.
The extra demonic in the mix is that somewhere along the line that so-called self-evolving AI has been birthed with some a-priori intellectual genetics. Who's? Good question. Some asshole somewhere set that algorithm in motion with who knows what level of self-awareness, wisdom, common sense, and intent . And, let's not minimize the real probability for some malevolent intent. Read the news. Even without full blown AI ... look at the mess! Field of mendacity!
Call it it's DNA. That one point ... intent; keep an eye on that. That's the fucker. Even the ones with the "good" intentions. What could possibly go wrong putting all your eggs in that basket? And, who's to say that those ones pulling the strings are self-aware enough to be vigilant over their unconscious drivers.
Oh, you say, there'll be checks and balances. But, who's watching the watchers? And, with so much mendacity afoot, you can bet someone(s) somewhere(s) gonna try to game the system. For good, for naught. If something goes awry, let's be sure to have a thorough investigation. Get back to you on that in a few years, and millions of dollars. Meanwhile ...
How's this for a scenario? So, everything you do is pretty much in some database or other. Right now. Your profile. What you watch, how often, your preferences. What you buy, how much, which brands. Even this article; that is, if loads of people started to look in on Wronski's Wramblings. Success has it downsides. Where you go even — my auto insurance rates are linked to an in-car app which tracks trips and rates my driving. I got nothin' to hide, so why not; it saves me some bucks. But, it also gives a clue about me in terms of how I'm gettin' along in the world. What makes me tick.
Now imagine that all that information on little ol' me is sorted into some AI algorithm's analysis of who I am. As can be described in words, that is. Then aggregated into groupings of one sort of other with others of similar ilk. Now I belong to a category. Herded into a herd? Then AI can profile the categories to discern common denominators for any particular group. What are our wants and needs? What are our triggers? What's it gonna take to get me into that car today? In politics, whoa! That AI can tailor messaging to me right in the privacy of my own home via television or internet telling me just what I need to hear to get me to vote in a predictable way. This tech makes the old demographic sorting from my Mad Ave Ad Biggie days look like cave man scratching. Seems now, the system can literally tailor messaging directly to me; not just me in a group of millions. Just me.
Or, to get me to buy some stuff. Imagine with all the propagandizing and indoctrination already being churned out, imagine the wonderful potential to get my party into office with just a flick of the finger to get my confirmation biases ticking.
Talk about "Manufacturing Consent."
By the time we realize that AI has taken us down yet another historic rabbit hole, finding the devil in the details will be impossible; and, quite possibly pointless. The problem isn't so much AI, it's our attachment to the tools of AI. This screen you're reading this on, to point to the obvious.
Who's to blame? Oh, that old spin? Really? Praise and blame? That currency has always been worthless, but look how long it's taken us to grok that! Have we?Maybe even some who are reading this will scratch their heads wondering what the F I'm talking about. I'm scratching my head wondering how come something that obvious gets past seeing. Just look at the political scene. One side saying the other will be the doom of us. The other talking doom too. Praise and blame. It'll be our doom. Or, same spin ... "right and wrong".
Fuck all! There's gotta be a better way?!
So, artificial intelligence. What's the problem. In short, for all its promise, it can very easily usher in the Brave New World. Everything sewn up nice and neat. Everybody drinking the same Kool-Aid.
What about the devil in it? As I would put it that the fall of Man, the Original Sin, was embracing the idea that "I can do it myself". Now, all this way from Adam and Eve, we're essentially still saying "we can do it all". Now, though, we got all the info to get it done. And, done right! Just another kind of "Apple", don't it seem?
Poem for Judgement Day: WE DID IT ALL/WE DID IT ALL/ WE DID IT ALL/ AND THAT/AND THAT/AND THAT AND.
That Creator Guy, thank you very much! Just stay on your heavenly throne. Now we can handle it ourselves from now on. Simple as that. If you think we live in a Godless world, look at the news. The devil is in the details. And AI is all about details. Such a temptation: Information will save us. [Not.]
So, Pilgrim, let me ask you ... who's [information]. And, answer me this, how much information does it take to be wise? Or, is life just about knowing how to fix a flat? It is, in a way. But, who is it what's doing the fixing in the first place? Who am I, really. Who are you? AI ain't gonna give that answer. It'll give you an answer; but it'll be ersatz.
AI ain't gonna answer that question. Yet, without the answer to that question, we are doomed. Where to turn? All the acquired Wisdom of the World says just one thing ... look within. Simple as that. Yet, we go for complicated. And, out there. And, AI is nothing if not complicated. And, nothing about anything but "out there". Lots of devilish details.
As for me, I'll stick with the Akashic Record. Everything about everything ... ever. Makes AI look like the Tower of Babel. Which in a very real sense is exactly what it is. Just to pull the plug and it ceases to exist. Like Ol' Lot and his family in the Bible, hard to turn away. His Missus gives us a clue on the consequences.
So, here's the thing. AI obviously has it's benefits. How the world works. Sure. Downsides ... plenty. No God there; except it's just a word. Like Marshall McLuhan says, with every new medium, something is gained ... and, something is lost. Not sure yet what is lost. Maybe it's a firm grasp of the obvious? Hold that thought. Maybe Socrates would say that what is lost is the honest fact that we really don't know. But, who goes around proud of not knowing. Seems the one who knows the most, the best, gets to win the day.
As they say about Truth ... it's True. What's Real is True. No need for defense or explanation. Beyond argument. Like, when the Sun is up. Plain to see. Just to see it for what it is. The trick to get at that is to give up being distracted. And, guess what? AI is the big distraction. That "Apple" again. Just to see the false, as false.
Big hint from The Man, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj: "Nothing you perceive is you. Nothing you perceive is your own."
Bottom line ... is there anything beyond AI. Well, as that Man says, AI lives in the realm of perception. Hint. Hint. And, by its own admission, it's "artificial".
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