AI - A force for Good or Bad?

[Macpherson]

On 16/11/2025 at 22:33, sime42 said:

 

FFS. 

 

 

 

Hi ., I'm not sure whether the FFS is because you think that this article is a load of shyte or because you're shocked by the reality of what is actually happening exponentially right in front of the eyes of anyone that can still see ?

 

Personally the article scares the crap out of me quite a bit more than a gain of function Corona virus psy op, and all this in about 30 years since the advent of the internet, which I frankly despise even though I'm using it to communicate with you, which is one of the things I'd imagine " they're " desperate police.

 

We've had the carrot, and here comes the effin stick.

[Welshfred]

22 hours ago, Squaredy said:

So about the time that suddenly everyone had a computer in their pocket, rather than a communication device.

 

First I Phone came out 2007. From there commercial interests have led us by the nose. 

I get your point about elitism, although there was a brief period of internet cafes or similar venues and libraries of course. I think the instant/constant accessibility is part of the problem, better when the internet was something you chose to go and do rather than an omnipresent brain extension. That's where the addiction comes in. 

AI was always the natural extension of this. Social media? Where else was all the "real life" data for training LLMs how to seem human going to come from?

[Welshfred]

Quite long but worth it

 

What AI doesn’t know: we could be creating a global ‘knowledge collapse’ | Artificial intelligence (AI) | The Guardian

WWW.THEGUARDIAN.COM

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The long read: As GenAI becomes the primary way to find information, local and traditional wisdom is being lost. And we are only beginning to realise what we’re missing

 

 

[sime42]

10 hours ago, Macpherson said:

 

Hi ., I'm not sure whether the FFS is because you think that this article is a load of shyte or because you're shocked by the reality of what is actually happening exponentially right in front of the eyes of anyone that can still see ?

 

Personally the article scares the crap out of me quite a bit more than a gain of function Corona virus psy op, and all this in about 30 years since the advent of the internet, which I frankly despise even though I'm using it to communicate with you, which is one of the things I'd imagine " they're " desperate police.

 

We've had the carrot, and here comes the effin stick.

 

Morning. 

 

The latter, the ffs was a mix of shock, horror, sadness etc. All those bad vibes. I do think the author of the article had a bit of an agenda, but the essential message was correct. AI is BAD. It confirmed the opinion I already held.

 

I'm in agreement with you. I can still see, with my own eyes rather than through an AI lens. The prospects are scary. It wouldn't be quite so bad if it wasn't being pushed on us by bad people. And it wouldn't quite so bad if so many good people didn't welcome it into their lives with open arms. I don't understand why more people aren't more sceptical. 

 

Even the boss boss of Google is in the news today saying that you shouldn't believe what AI tells you. And yet people blindly trust it. 

 

I'm not sure whether to wish for the AI bubble to burst or not. What do you think?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Squaredy]

53 minutes ago, Welshfred said:

Quite long but worth it

 

What AI doesn’t know: we could be creating a global ‘knowledge collapse’ | Artificial intelligence (AI) | The Guardian

WWW.THEGUARDIAN.COM

---

The long read: As GenAI becomes the primary way to find information, local and traditional wisdom is being lost. And we are only beginning to realise what we’re missing

 

 

That is an intelligent article, making fair points.  But as the author points out the knowledge collapse started many many years ago.  AI may hasten it, but the threats he identifies have existed for thousands of years at least.  Societies evolve, they grow and shrink, and even in my own little area I could easily point to loss of traditional skills and knowledge.  There is probably not a solution, but luckily there are always people around who will develop niche interests and learn about their heritage and (some) past skills.

 

But we can't preserve the past as if it is a crime to develop and evolve.  The skills of coracle making, eel trapping, hunting and cooking small birds and amphibians, foraging for roots, turning hawthorn berries into nutritious food, and a million other traditions have all but disappeared from my area, but life goes on and new customs develop.

 

I do not dismiss what the author is saying, and yes we can all guard against following each other like sheep.  This should start with parents and schools encouraging kids to think independently, analytically and critically.  If a school fails to embrace plurality of opinion and approach they are failing their pupils.  If a school and parents help a child use their brain and think about the issues of the world and their community they are setting them up to use AI and other tools (like modern construction methods mentioned in the article) for their own and others' benefit.

 

Critical thinking is the key; not ludditeism.

[Steven P]

phones... still use a 'basic' phone, mostly because it pisses off the bank every time I go in there, but also very satisfying to know that when I am out and about my nose isn't glued to it - all it will tell me is that I phoned my mum last Wednesday. All it will tell the advertising bots is... I phoned my mum last Wednesday.

 

There are benefits, but, not sure they are more than the brain drain it is creating. I bubble will burst when the predicted advertising revenues don't match what they sell they will.