For DER SPIEGEL’s birthday, I was asked about my perspective on the future. I wrote 30 observations. The article is in German, but here are some of them abbreviated:
- The year is 2022. A Google developer goes public. His company is developing a chatbot that he believes has become conscious. At Google, they laugh at him. Later, he’s fired. They had tricked him: the machine does as it’s told, responding in the most human-like manner possible.
- We’re not fixing the computers we have, but inventing computers to operate computers because we no longer can’t be bothered or have the time to operate computers ourselves. This is an admission of defeat.
- Machines of loving grace – that’s how it sounds when an AI entrepreneur writes about artificial intelligence and envisions what his software can help with: conquering diseases, eliminating poverty, boosting the economy, ensuring global food security, and dealin with climate change. Fun fact: Dario Amodei is considered comparatively level-headed rather than a hallucinating fantasist.
- When people read a book or text, learn from it, and later write their own book or text, we call it education, and there’s an opening reception with champagne. When a machine reads a book or text, it ends up in court.
- These are not just any machines. They are not gracious spirits. A few global corporations develop and operate these large language models. These companies already have more access to our lives through their devices, software, and clouds than nation states have ever dreamed of having.
- At first, many service providers won’t want to be reduced to mere interfaces for AI agents. Machines will attempt to pass as humans without getting caught. This will continue until everyone becomes frustrated, ultimately leading to the establishment of rules and interfaces for AI access.
- In a world of liquid content and AI fakes, trust becomes crucial – and with it, brands and people. Which AI, which media, whom can I believe? We know that companies and governments don’t prioritize our interests. We know that a functioning democracy requires an independent fourth estate that confronts those in power.
Thank you for feedback and editing, Jule Lutteroth and Matthias Streitz.
(This post also exists on LinkedIn)
