Don't get me wrong. I am a millennial and I like to stay on top of the latest developments. It also helps that I am a journalist and so staying abreast of the latest news, trends, and innovation is second nature to us.
But over the course of my recent encounters with generative AI platforms like ChatGPT, Bard, and Pi, one thing that struck me was how much of a divide the technology is creating across generations. A friend recently told me that she found it hard to keep track of all the AI tools and is worried the situation is getting out of control.
There's a strange déjà vu moment here. Back when the likes of Facebook and Twitter launched, I often found myself spending hours debating over the utility of these platforms. There were people — from my parents to my professors to some of my classmates — who predicted no one would use these platforms because people could just "pick up the phone and talk."
While in many instances these digital innovations brought people closer, helped families bond, and gave people a tool to voice their feelings and opinions, for many others, it created a divide between generations — a digital divide. That divide not only still exists, it's deepening in the era of AI.
'Someone needs to put an end to it'
How many of you have been able to keep track of the pace of development of generative AI in the past few months or weeks or days? I'll be honest with you. I haven't been able to keep track. I follow the right people on Twitter, read a lot of AI news, and edit a lot of stories, but I was still thrown off by Adobe Firefly's Mona Lisa experiment.
It sparked a huge debate — both online and offline — on what AI can do and how far it can go.
When I asked friends and family for their take on AI, I was met with responses that ranged from absolute ignorance to misinformation to reluctance.
"It's getting out of control now."
"Someone needs to put an end to it."
"Can you not just switch off and switch on all over again?"
"What does this all mean?"
"What is ChatGPT?"
"It will die like the metaverse."
It feels similar to the digital revolution of the 2000s — but more complicated.
The resistance is not just from the boomers and millennials around me. Tech leaders are also worried.
In an open letter in March from the Future of Life Institute, Elon Musk, Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak, and a few other tech leaders warned that powerful AI systems should be developed only once there is confidence that the effects will be positive and the risks are manageable.
The letter read: "We call on all AI labs to immediately pause for at least 6 months the training of AI systems more powerful than GPT-4. This pause should be public and verifiable, and include all key actors. If such a pause cannot be enacted quickly, governments should step in and institute a moratorium."
Earlier this week, more than 350 scientists and tech leaders, including Sam Altman, the CEO of ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, and Microsoft's Bill Gates signed a statement expressing deep concern over AI risks.
"Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war," the statement read.
A lot of humans around me were saying the same thing and I wasn't entirely convinced. I made myself a cup of tea, thought long and hard about it, and then decided to ask my new friends.
Me:
Is the artificial intelligence revolution getting out of control?
ChatGPT:
As an AI language model, I don't have personal opinions or beliefs. However, I can provide some insights on the topic.
The potential impact and implications of artificial intelligence (AI) are a subject of ongoing debate. While AI has made significant advancements and brought about numerous benefits in various fields, there are concerns about its potential risks and ethical implications.
Me:
But it seems to be creating a divide across generations? People aren't able to understand and keep up with the pace of development.
ChatGPT:
You're correct that the rapid pace of AI development can create a knowledge gap and a sense of unease or division across generations. Technological advancements, including AI, have the potential to disrupt established industries and change the nature of work, which can lead to concerns and anxieties, particularly among those who feel left behind or unable to keep up with the changes.
The rate at which technology is evolving can make it challenging for individuals, especially older generations, to fully understand and adapt to the latest developments. This can result in a digital divide, where some people have limited access to technology or lack the necessary digital skills to effectively engage with AI systems and other emerging technologies.
Me and Pi:
Thank you, friends! I think I will just pick up the phone and call my parents.
