In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI) stands as a groundbreaking force reshaping the way we live, work, and interact with the world around us. From autonomous vehicles navigating complex roadways to personalized recommendations on our favorite streaming platforms, AI’s influence is ubiquitous. Its transformative potential spans a wide array of fields, from healthcare and finance to education and entertainment, promising to revolutionize our daily lives. However, as AI continues to advance, it raises profound ethical questions about privacy, bias, and the implications of machines making increasingly complex decisions.
How was that introduction? Was it compelling? Did it hook you? Any astute reader can tell where this is going: it was written by AI. Now, as convenient as it was to have a whole introduction to be written for me within five seconds, it is truly important to make it known how powerful AI can truly be.
President Joe Biden recently implemented the first ever Executive Order on Artificial Intelligence. Taking place on October 30, 2023, this Executive Order lays out the foundation for how AI will be handled at the national level. This order arises due to concerns among the public as Artificial Intelligence is quickly evolving and posing threats to multiple corners of Americans’ lifestyles. Biden had met with AI experts in June prior to the order to get a better idea on AI and how it affects the lives of Americans.
The Biden administration is also working towards keeping AI tools from being abused by creating precedents for “investigating and prosecuting civil rights violations related to AI,” which was officially declared on Sunday. AI can analyze data faster than any human and can be used for looking through people’s personal data. AI also threatens job security by creating an increase in productivity and lowering the margin of error in work.
At the International level, the first International AI Safety Summit was held in the U.K. to make sure that Artificial Intelligence wouldn’t become a bigger issue than it already is. China’s Vice Minister of Science and Technology, Wu Zhaohui, said AI technology is “uncertain, unexplainable and lacks transparency.” This executive order is an overall great starting point for controlling the power of AI. The fact that the national government is taking control of AI as early as possible is great for the security and safety of the whole world.
While AI is an extremely powerful tool that should have some restrictions on its development, there are a lot of people who use it in their everyday lives. Being able to input any idea and get an output that gives a general, but knowledgeable and coherent, list is a tool that can be used to one’s advantage.
“AI is a good tool that people can use for anything to get any answer. I don’t really use it for anything, but I know there are definitely people who use AI for their day-to-day things, just to make everything easier,” said senior Liam Keasel when being asked for his opinion on AI.
Using AI can be rewarding in the short term, but it can be extremely detrimental in the long term. Not doing assignments at school or work can lead to an immediate burst in productivity, but then the moment that AI is not available, you will greatly struggle to keep up with the volume of work, or information that you need to know for exams and potential problems at work.
“I know of someone who ended up using chat gpt on an assignment and their teacher lost a lot of trust between them. It’s something that all teachers can see because it goes on your record, it’s not a good look at all and it is really just a detriment to your character in the end,” senior Cameron Stengel said.
There is no denying that AI is the future of innovation and productivity. Being able to type up a prompt and then get a thorough response five seconds later is extremely useful, but is it bordering on too much? Will AI develop a mind of its own and take over all online domains?
“I think AI could at some point become something that can be concerning, but I think AI still doesn’t have enough of the ability to have critical thinking to take over the world in the near future,” senior Seth Keasel said.
