Artificial intelligence is the new rage.
With the launch of ChatGTP technology, which creates humanlike dialogues in a matter of seconds, questions abound.
Will AI replace workers? Will it take over the world? Is this the beginning of the inevitable merge between mind and machine?
To be fair, AI isn’t all that novel. Siri, Alexa, Google, Amazon, YouTube and Waymo all rely on technology that simulates human intelligence to power their applications. And despite the fear of massive job loss – and social upheaval – to date, AI has largely made our lives better by improving the way we enjoy music, drive cars, search for goods and services, and interact with technology.
I sense the same will ultimately be true of applications like ChatGTP. To be fair, AI chatbots will fundamentally disrupt our economy, but in the process, they may also shift our political preferences toward pro-social policies like universal income, free education and affordable health care.
Here’s why.
AI chatbots are extremely powerful. Take, for example, this quick interview I conducted with my own bot, ChatOn. The bot’s responses, which were generated in seconds, are italicized.
What do AI chatbots do?
Chatbots use natural language processing and machine learning algorithms to understand and respond to user queries in a natural and human-like way.
Will AI chatbots take over the world?
It is highly unlikely. AI is a tool developed and controlled by humans, and it does not have the ability to act on its own without human input and programming. Overall, while AI has the potential to significantly impact many aspects of our lives, it is not capable of taking over the world or acting on its own without human intervention.
Will AI chatbots improve my life?
AI chatbots have the potential to improve your life by providing quick and efficient solutions to your queries and tasks. Ultimately, AI chatbots can enhance your overall experience with businesses and services, making your life easier and more convenient.
Will AI chatbots cause unemployment?
AI chatbots may cause some job displacement, particularly in customer service and support roles where they can replace certain tasks previously done by humans. However, AI chatbots can also create new jobs in areas such as AI programming, data analysis and content creation.
In short, AI chatbots are going to cause more waves than ripples. But I think the bot is right, AI will improve our lives.
But who will reap the benefits?
Again, ChatOn has valuable insight:
AI has the potential to improve many areas of life, including health care, education, transportation and more. However, it is important to ensure that the benefits of AI are distributed fairly and that no one is left behind in the transition to an AI-driven society. This requires a concerted effort from governments, businesses and individuals to ensure that AI is used in a responsible and ethical manner that benefits everyone.
AI may displace millions of workers without spurring a meaningful response from public officials. This is what happened in the 1970s when U.S. corporations outsourced industrial jobs to other countries, leaving millions of blue-collar workers in poverty.
Still, previous technological advances largely displaced blue-collar workers, which minimized its political cost. In contrast, if AI wreaks havoc, it’ll be on the middle-class, which is the U.S.’ largest voting bloc.
In the end, who AI disrupts may matter more than what AI disrupts. And as AI upends the middle-class economy, I believe that U.S. voting preferences will shift toward candidates who are willing to consider previously taboo policies like universal health care and income. As ironic as it may seem, AI may well encourage us to be better people, better neighbors and, ultimately, better citizens.
Ben Waddell is an associate professor of sociology at Fort Lewis College and serves on the board of Compañeros, a Durango-based immigration rights nonprofit.
