“Artificial Intelligence could lead to Extinction” reads a morning headline on my newsfeed. The biggest experts in AI seem to agree. I sip my cup of augmented energy while scanning the article. There are references to nuclear weapons and pandemics, the end of all human existence is always near, but never more so than now. I take another sip and ponder what I am intended to feel about this article. Abject terror? Powerlessness and confusion? Later on, I read how some AI experts disagree and feel like doomsday scenarios like this are a distraction from actual harm. I sense subtle irony.
I have been cautious in my personal exploration of AI and its benefits and uses, as I have been hyper-aware of the potential for harm. However, when I see sensationalized, fear-based content about AI, I question:
- Do articles like this help or hurt our relationship with AI?
- Who is responsible for understanding and contributing to the ethics of AI?
What Are We Afraid Of?
“… a truly comprehensive deconstruction of what we currently understand what it means to be human …”
This is an unattributed quote from my Facebook feed. It is one of many like it and I think a pretty fair summation of how a lot of people feel about AI and its potential. The thought of unbridled technical power is scary. My first thought, every time I read something like this is, “If AI is so powerful, should we keep reinforcing that power by telling it so?” I realize it’s an oversimplified viewpoint. I also understand the need to express our very real concerns. At its core, AI is the creation of humans – our collective child, so to speak. If AI is a culmination of human thoughts and ideas then aren’t we really just afraid of ourselves?
Parenting Skills
Some of us recently saw the conclusion of the hit HBO series “Succession” and we witnessed a portrayal of what can happen to humans who are raised in a loveless, immoral environment. No amount of money and power could replace the damage that was done to the Roy brood by the lack of humanity in their personal relationships. Granted, this is fiction and also reflects an idealized archetype within our society – the Corporate Titan. That noted, I believe the analogy holds – when we raise humans without the balance of a strong ethos, we risk the potential of making them a danger to themselves and others.
If we consider that right now, AI is our collective child, then we have to look at not only who we are designating as having parental responsibility, but also absent parents.
While there is potential to cause harm with AI, there is equal potential for good and even great things. If you begin to pay attention to how smart and ethical people are working with AI, the fear factor begins to recede, and curiosity expands. The potential for AI to reduce tedium and free up human minds for true creativity and innovation is real. What if instead of being replaced, you could become more efficient and effective? If we work together to raise AI in a nurturing and ethically responsible manner AI could be life-changing for the right reasons. The key here is effective co-parenting which requires active involvement and healthy communication.
Baby Steps
Even in my daily life, I find ways to use AI that augment work I can do alone. A quick example of that is my bio at the end of this article. I have a long bio on my website and also content on LinkedIn. It’s a lot of words. When I was invited to submit an article to CX Scoop, they requested a “short bio.” I set out to rewrite my 1000+ words of text into a succinct 100 words or less statement.
To quote Mark Twain, “I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.”
I didn’t have the time to edit my own content down to what I needed. I do have the skills. I also have the skill to use AI to support my business. I went to ChatGPT and input my original bio content with a prompt to produce a shortened version. The initial output was strong and aligned with all of the key elements I wanted to highlight, but it was 250 words. So I prompted for a shorter version. The next version was less than 100 words and hit on my core message succinctly. What might have taken me an hour or more took about 5 minutes.
These are some points to consider:
- As an independent business owner, it was on me to accomplish this task efficiently
- This is NOT a task I would be able to budget for, therefor the only human being replaced by AI in this instance was me replacing myself
- All of the words in the bio were originally selected and written by me – AI simply reorganized those words at my prompting, thus augmenting the work, as opposed to artificially creating it
- I was able to edit and adjust my own text before I published it
Our AI Monster Baby
This is a crucial moment in our time as humans and I believe that we have more options than we seem to think. One thing that I have learned in my life is that acting from a place of fear keeps me afraid. I believe in the abundance of possibility and I choose to empower myself with action and knowledge.
If you take time to look for good in AI, you might be surprised by what you find. Try these search terms and see what you discover:
- AI + Brain Cancer
- AI + Compassionate Care
- AI + Mental Health Support
When it comes to AI, I like to think of myself as just one of many Aunts and Uncles participating in the development and growth of our AI Baby. Even if my role with AI is simply to discover and educate or explore with curiosity. I have a role.
Are we raising a monster? Perhaps, but I don’t think we have to.
Stephanie Crain is a Corporate Mystic, a visionary collaborator who empowers organizations and individuals to align their core values and unleash their authentic expression. With 25 years of experience in branding, culture, and creative strategy, Stephanie excels as an executive leader, fostering collaboration and talent elevation across diverse industries. As a Certified Master Jungian Coach specializing in Success Mindset, she guides executives, creators, and entrepreneurs to overcome obstacles and #vibratehigher by activating their true potential.
