AI

I had other plans for today, but instead I’ve just spent a few hours trying to figure out the best way to disable Microsoft’s most recent “update” for my computer – the imposition of an AI app to do – well, who knows, really. I just know I didn’t ask for it, and can’t get rid of it. (I was able to disable it, I think, but I also think it’s still in the software, and could zombie itself forth at any time – assuming it’s actually shut down right now in the first place.)

As far as I know, it could be it’s already hovered up all of my work and data (including my stories) and added them to some great gargoyle of algorithmic intelligence, where everything I’ve got on this computer will now contribute to the ongoing demise of the creative professions. And… all professions, possibly. Possibly life itself. I’m only ¾ joking about this, as I believe it when very smart people tell us there is a possibility AI could destroy… everything, and not “just” remake everything.  

And I don’t know what to do about it – I feel like I know just enough about it to be quite worried – I know that I contribute constantly every time I engage online (like now) but having these systems come into my computer and look at what I’m working on there before I even press “post” or “send” or anything… that’s just taking it to another level.

Part of the time I spent looking for a way to disable the AI update I spent reconfirming that switching to a MacOS may or may not solve the problem (but it would cost more dollars for the hardware) and learning to use Linux seems feasible but only if I want to use Google Docs as my word processor all the time. (It might be with more research I’d discover a different option, but there definitely seems to be a Linux word processor compatibility with the rest of the world problem and why would I trust Google more than Microsoft?)  

But the real conundrum I – and probably everyone – faces, is do we learn about AI and how to use it to our immediate/medium/long-term advantage in the belief that it’s not the end of the world or life as we know it (or maybe we want it to be the end of life as we know it) or do we say, hey, look, I know I can’t stop it personally, but I don’t wanna be responsible for contributing to the rise of the machines anymore than I have to be while leading a sort of modern life?

It feels like we’re being offered a trade something like this:

Human who has been captured by aliens: Hello fellow human. Do you want a table?

Human: Maybe

HWHBCBA: If you give me a nail for every minute you stand here, I’ll give you a cheap table, and I’ll show you cat videos at the same time.

Human: How long do I stand here?

HCBA: That’s up to you. If I get enough nails, I can make you a whole room of furniture.

Human: I can actually make my own table

HCBA: Not as fast as the aliens can. They’re super nice, and hardly ever fall over and crush people. When that happens, we can usually fix it.

Human: Why do you want so many nails? It only takes like, five nails to make a table

HCBA: Well, along with the tables, I’m working with the aliens on a really great project, so extra nails help build that.

Human: What is the project?

HCBA: I can’t tell you. To be honest, I’m not really sure. But it’s going to be really awesome. I have plans. Sorta. I’m going to fix everything. They’re gunna help. Look, isn’t that cat so cute?

Human: Well, I don’t really wanna build a table today, so you can have a couple of nails

HCBA: There’s also a slight chance the awesome project to fix everything will actually end up destroying the world. Kitty kitty kitty.

Human: Sorry what?

HCBA: Probably what will happen is you’ll never have to make your own table again and you’ll get a shiny float-y pod to live in and you’ll just get to play all day and all your problems will be solved.

Human: Are you high?

HCBA: On science! Look do you want a table or not?

Human: Ummm….

HCBA: You know, people thought X Y and Z were going to lead to the end of the world too, and we’re still here! And we have cats!

Human: Yeah…

HCBA: If you don’t want this table, I’ll just get my nails from someone else

Human: Well, I do want a new table…

HCBA: So whaddya say? Do we have a deal?

This human: I shoulda just stayed in bed and written my poems by hand today.

*I did not run this through wordpress’s AI Assistant before publishing, although maybe I should have,