A Computerized Future - How Artificial Intelligence is Slowly Taking Over our Lives and Minds

A Computerized Future - How Artificial Intelligence is Slowly Taking Over our Lives and Minds By Camryn Bland Youth Columnist We live in a society in which technology is constantly evolving. Computers are working at record speeds, virtual reality is more advanced than reality, and flying car prototypes are being developed worldwide. The evolving technology which is most prominent is Artificial Intelligence, (AI), one of the most controversial inventions facing our modern society. Although it may have been invented to assist humanity, it has been turned into an agent of cheating, laziness, misinformation, and human substitution. It is no longer a way to stimulate and increase human intelligence, but instead a way to substitute genuine, human thoughts. I am not directly against artificial intelligence, as I believe it can and has contributed to our society in great ways, just as it was intended to do. Since the 1970s, AI has been used in the medical field to improve patient diagnosis and treatment. It’s led to significant strides in language processing, improving the field of computer programming. It’s even assisted those who work in agriculture, engineering, and transportation. It’s been implemented in every google response, translator, and social media algorithm. AI is something that has changed our day-to-day life ways we would never expect, and that’s both inspirational and frightening. Of course, the reality of artificial intelligence is more than just success stories; it is also filled with failures and threats to replace human behavior. One of the biggest concerns surrounding this technology is job loss, as AI begins to implement itself into every career field. It raises the question, if a computer is able to make a medical diagnosis, do we need as many doctors? If paperwork and schedules can be handled by a machine, who needs secretaries and administrative assistants? Any job with a repetitive routine, especially those involving information-processing tasks, are at a high risk, from paralegals to teachers to truck drivers. We are in a time where no career is safe from the threat of artificial intelligence substitution, and this reality will only worsen as time goes on. Another field which is being quickly overtaken is that of art and creativity. Computerized images, videos, and music are becoming more and more common despite the negative effects. In our society's history, it has always been difficult to make a living or even a side-hussle out of art; it’s always been seen as a hobby of childhood, not something to be taken seriously in the adult world. The artistic struggle has now been increased, as AI provides individuals with creative content at the click of a button. Any image can be created for their personal use. Videos can be edited or generated with nothing but a simple prompt. Entire musical albums can be developed, making music which appears to be sung by celebrities without their consent. Even writing is becoming a futile skill, as generative AI is taking over the industry. Authors, editors, instructional designers, and even journalists are forced to worry about their job stability, as the art of writing becomes more and more computer generated. Artificial Intelligence also has consequences outside of the work force. Everyday, it is used to plagiarise, misinform, and replace genuine effort. Students use Artificial Intelligence to do their assignments, and individuals are beginning to turn to AI instead of genuine research to answer their questions. It prevents people from learning, as they begin to take shortcuts through every situation, refusing to work hard for anything. Millions of people have forgotten how to live their daily lives without relying on a computerized assistant. We are living in a time where the easy way out is the normal way out, and nothing is being done to prevent this trend. Regardless of your profession, goals, and education, AI can be a ladder to success or a road to disaster. I am not denying the benefits of artificial intelligence; it was created to make a positive impact, which I still believe it can do. However, we now live in a society which over-relies on technology in our daily lives. It feels impossible to finish our workloads without the help of AI, and this is where the problem lies. We are disregarding human thought, and in the process disregarding human value. It is now too late to turn away from Artificial Intelligence, to pull the plug altogether. However, I believe every individual must resist this technology in our daily lives. This can come in the form of creating your own art or supporting local artists, using verified websites to do research, and refusing to plagiarize assignments. Through these everyday actions, we can take small steps towards gaining back our thought process. We can take small steps towards gaining back our own minds.