Gülden Alaz Meriç
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been a source of inspiration for many dystopian movies or TV series. These kinds of scenarios make sense, especially when we see robots chatting like human beings, smartphones displaying advertisements related to our recent conversations, or even sometimes to our thoughts. But why do we have to stay in this pessimistic mindset? More fundamentally, why do we have to see them as having human intentions? In this article, I would like to share a purely pragmatic perspective on AI.
The "Friend or Foe" Perspective
Let us begin with the “Friend or Foe” expression in the title. Always remember, these are titles mainly for human beings who are capable of intentional actions. When you are a friend of someone, you choose to be so. When you define someone as a foe, you choose to perceive them as such. In both scenarios, you have the freedom to choose. Can we think of AI as having this freedom?
AI “acts” in accordance with its programming. Whatever AI can do has been programmed by human beings. The so-called ability to read minds and show related content is a result of cumulative internet activities. For example, if a "zombie game" suddenly pops up on your feed, it is most likely due to your interest in zombie-themed movies or perhaps listening to the song "Zombie" by the Cranberries. What about that?
Can AI Take Our Jobs?
AI itself has no intention or greed to take your job. However, it is possible that you may lose your job due to current advances in technology. Some advances in this field may decrease the need for human labor. Yet, the driving force behind this situation is not the AI itself but rather the humans who program AI in ways that can lead to certain jobs being eliminated from the market.
A Pragmatic Approach to AI
Thus, instead of seeing AI as an autonomous entity with good or bad intentions, it is wiser to recognize that AI is the result of our actions and choices. At the Turkish Intelligence Foundation, one of the topics we focus on is AI, and our last Congress was primarily about AI. You can check the speakers and sessions from the event at https://www.kongre.tzv.org.tr/2023/.
