Many people look upon the digitalization of the world with trepidation, but the advances of the future are something we should learn to embrace.
The year is 2023 and what was once conceived as futuristic dreams has now become a reality. Phones are equipped with face recognition software, cars can drive themselves, computers are writing essays and producing art, and human jobs are being replaced by machines. While some people are filled with wonder about what the present holds and what the future can produce, others are gripped with fear over living in a world monitored by and infiltrated with machines. However, technological advances such as artificial intelligence are things that have become necessary to embrace in order to not become lost in the past.
Why Do We Fear AI?
When it comes to fears of technology, three main things stand out. First, people are naturally opposed to change. Change is a crucial factor in determining the success and survival of any modern organization. However, people remain resistant to change for many psychological reasons, including fearing losing control, grappling with lost competence, and facing uncertainty. The fear of the unknown is another massive factor that holds people back from embracing new things, as it often feels like a safer option to remain with what one already knows regardless of whether it is still the best option.
A third reason why people fear AI is because they don’t understand it. Perhaps their opinions on artificial intelligence have been shaped by the media and warped by films such as I, Robot. Rather than take the time to understand what AI is and how technological advances can improve daily life and impact branches such as the workforce and education, people choose to remain purposefully ignorant. Ignorance is often something that breeds fear and can lead to grave misunderstandings, miscommunications, and missed opportunities.
What Is AI & How Does It Affect Learning?
As defined by TechTarget, artificial intelligence, or AI, “is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems.” AI is composed of software and hardware systems that are equipped with machine learning algorithms from various programming languages, such as Python, Java, C++, and Julia. It is important to remember that, unlike actual human brains, AI does not think. It simply works with the information it is equipped with. AI can analyze enormous amounts of data to assist in many fields, including digital learning.
AI is revolutionizing the way people learn in the modern world. It can do far more than just grade school assignments for teachers or help students come up with essay answers, as it can be utilized for learning. For example, Tablets can be equipped with eye-tracking devices that monitor how long students look at certain words to see where they struggle. Meanwhile, learning assistants can provide personalized learning approaches tailored to help individual students excel. This can fill in gaps where students would normally be left behind because their teachers lack the time for personal assistance for every student.
A Forbes article from 2022 points out other ways that AI can improve the American classroom, as well as classrooms worldwide. Automation can eliminate the need for teachers to perform tedious, repetitive tests that consume valuable time. Meanwhile, AI chatbots are now available for learning around the clock for instant student interaction, as an increasing amount of students turn to self-service when it comes to learning. Many students already reap the benefits of learning from tablets with interactive learning resources that make learning more accessible from home, while teachers can reap similar digital benefits from digital tools.
Can AI Become A Threat?
Many people who fear AI tend to dismiss technological advances as a whole and disregard how they can positively impact one’s life. However, it’s important to consider both sides of the picture. Can AI also be weaponized? Can computers develop a mind of their own and take over mankind? As the Economist states, when one worries about AI, it’s best to worry wisely if we choose to worry at all. At the same time, it is imperative to remember that worry alone does not solve any issues. If we find flaws in the system, then we should invent our own solutions for combatting them. However, the rise of AI in society is inevitable.
Currently, AI is not able to think for itself. However, AGI (artificial general intelligence) represents AI that will be able to think for itself and become smarter over time, as defined by Computer World. This will be possible when GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) advances to GPT-5, though there are currently no AI systems in the world that surpass GP-4 in training computing. However, with GP-4 expecting to more than double its computational capabilities annually, it’s only a matter of time before the technology reaches new heights. At the same time, this is a future concern that will be accompanied by careful planning and measures to prevent the collapse of society or the takeover of robots and machines.
Adapting Our Attitudes About Technology
At the end of the day, technology is an unavoidable aspect of living in modern society. People always have the choice to jettison their lives and follow in Thoreau’s footsteps as they create a shelter in the woods and form a society away from watchful cameras. But for the vast majority of people, this is not a reality they want to pursue. Therefore, the only logical conclusion is to embrace what we have and discover how we can use it to our advantage. And for that, education is the number one tool in combatting fear, as it replaces ignorance with understanding.
As a writer, I faced an understandable moment of panic when ChatGPT launched, as I feared that my freelance talents would now be replaced by a free service. This is a reality that I had yet to consider possible. However, my programmer husband helped me to see how I can utilize ChatGPT to help generate new ideas to spark my writing when I feel stuck. Meanwhile, as long as there is value placed on a human service, it cannot be replaced by a machine. And if the day arrives when freelance writing is no longer valued as a monetary position, then I will have to adapt my skills to discover how I can apply my strengths and knowledge toward a new career possibility.
Something I will not do is bemoan my position and worry about how it can be replaced by technology. Those who refuse to accept the times are rendered a relic, and a relic lacks the opportunity to embrace and profit from the advances of the modern world. However, we can still place value on traditions and champion facets of life that don’t include technology. Creativity and individuality never have to be lost in the pursuit of digital learning, while they can rather be expanded upon with the available tools for learning and connection. The reality is that we have the choice to determine what is worth preserving in our lives, as this is not something that technology can threaten.
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