AI: Thoughts, Impacts, and Anecdotes on a Digital Revolution

by Dr Rasoul Amirzadeh

Is AI truly revolutionising our world, or just one player in a larger game? This article explores AI’s role scientifically—beyond sci-fi or marketing narratives—examining whether it is the main driver of technological and societal transformations or part of a broader system of advancements.

This is not about opposing AI; rather, it is about recognising its pivotal role in our digital age. As an AI researcher, I believe that AI is a crucial part of the ongoing digitalisation journey that began over 70 years ago with the vision of creating a Turing machine. AI is more than a recent innovation; it is a continuation of our long-standing quest to enhance human capabilities through technology. For example, assistive technologies, such as bionic prosthetics and AI-enhanced sound hearing aids, have empowered disabled individuals to live more independently. But how has our journey of innovation and discovery led us to this point in our technological progress?

Robot pointing on a wall

The Industrial Revolutions have each represented pivotal shifts in human progress, from the steam-powered machinery of the First in the late 18th century (1760-1840), to the electrified mass production of the Second in the late 19th century (1870-1914), and the digital innovations of the Third, which began in the 1960s with the implementation of electronics and information technology to automate production. These revolutions laid the groundwork for the ongoing Fourth Industrial Revolution, characterised by computer-generated product design, 3D printing, and the intelligent networking of machines and processes (Xu et al., 2018). As digital technologies such as IoT, AI, cryptocurrencies, and blockchain emerge, they are transforming industries through increased automation and real-time control and continuing the legacy of technological progress. While the full impact is still debated, digitalisation is already reshaping work processes across all sectors, from large tech companies to small businesses, leading to irreversible changes in how we work and communicate (SpÅNottl and Windelband, 2021).

The impact of technologies on future societies can be understood through various perspectives, each offering a unique view on the potential outcomes (Choi and Moon, 2023), as summarised in Table 1.

Table 1: Perspectives on the Impact of Technologies on Society

How do we navigate these perspectives to ensure AI contributes towards a positive future?

Standing at the edge of these possible futures, AI might be the deciding factor in whether society moves towards an optimistic future or succumbs to a skeptical state of dishevelment. This becomes even more personal as we consider the growing “AI anxiety” discussed in ‘Minding the gap(s): public perceptions of AI and socio-technical imaginaries.’ (Sartori and Bocca, 2023). This anxiety, fueled by media portrayals and the complex nature of AI, deeply influences public attitudes and policy, making our understanding and approach to AI more critical than ever.

In today’s digital age, we are bombarded with an overwhelming wave of information from social media feeds, news agencies, and countless other sources, making it difficult to discern what is accurate. This information overload contributes to the hype surrounding AI, as highlighted in the article ‘AI Hype, Promotional Culture, and Affective Capitalism’ (Bourne, 2024). The study examines how AI hype is fuelled by promotional culture, strategically using emotions like fear and excitement to drive investment and consumer interest. This cycle inflates AI’s perceived value, shaping public perception and investment decisions. The study critiques the tech industry’s role in fostering this self-sustaining hype cycle, emphasising the need for a more informed and balanced understanding of AI’s true potential and risks.

These concerns are not merely theoretical; several real-world cases highlight the complexities of AI implementation. IBM’s Watson, initially promising in healthcare, failed to deliver accurate recommendations. Amazon’s AI recruitment tool was scrapped after it was found to be biased against women. Google faced significant controversy after firing AI ethics researcher Margaret Mitchell, raising ethical concerns. Tesla’s Autopilot system, linked to safety issues, underscores the risks in AI-driven innovation. These examples demonstrate that while AI holds great potential, its application must be carefully managed.

'Responsible AI is not just about liability—it's about ensuring what you are building is enabling human flourishing.'

—Dr Rumman Chowdhury

Consider the current enthusiasm around investing in AI. Many investors see AI as the next big thing, much like the excitement surrounding tech companies during the dot-com era. However, while there is enormous potential for growth, there is also a significant risk, as highlighted by a recent study by Potrykus (2024). The research compared the AI market to the dot-com bubble and found that although the AI sector is not universally in a bubble, specific companies, such as META, SALESFORCE, and NVIDIA, show patterns similar to those seen during the dot-com euphoria. This suggests the need for caution amidst the optimism.

Given AI’s complexities and risks, let’s imagine how these dynamics might unfold in a future scenario. Picture ourselves living in a dystopian Netflix movie or a Black Mirror episode. Everything around us is bright and seamlessly perfect, with various AI companies managing every aspect of society. Beyond daily tasks, these AIs monitor societal needs, allocate resources, and shape policies that influence behaviours and choices. Decisions about energy, markets, and public services are governed by competing AI entities, each optimising for its own goals.

What would happen if two powerful AI systems, created by different entities, were to compete for the same resource, such as energy or market dominance?

In such a scenario, without knowing each other’s strategies, these AIs would enter a complex game-theoretic situation where they must predict and outmaneuver one another. This competition could lead to inefficiencies, as each AI tries to maximise its advantage while avoiding being outsmarted by the other. The situation mirrors a classic game theory problem where AI agents operate under incomplete information, leading to suboptimal outcomes for both parties involved. Thus, even in a world dominated by AI, game theory shows us that competition between AI systems can lead to less-than-ideal outcomes due to the influence of external factors and unknown variables beyond the AI’s control. These complexities remind us that the dynamics of AI are more intricate than they might seem.

While views on AI may differ, its profound impact on our future is undeniable. Whether we are individuals, employees, or CEOs, our choices in integrating AI into our systems and harnessing its potential are likely to define our paths. The choices we make today regarding AI are not just technical decisions—they are decisions that could shape the trajectory of business, government, and society as a whole, across the globe. By educating ourselves and thoughtfully embracing AI, we can better understand our needs and ensure that it serves as a powerful tool for progress and positive change.

References

  • Clea Bourne. AI hype, promotional culture, and affective capitalism. AI and Ethics, pages 1–13, 2024.
  • Seonmi Choi and M Jae Moon. Disruptive technologies and future societies: Perspectives and forecasts based on q-methodology. Futures, 145:103059, 2023.
  • Marcin Potrykus. Dot-com and ai bubbles: Can data from the past be helpful to match the price bubble euphoria phase using dynamic time warping? Finance Research Letters, 67:105799, 2024.
  • Laura Sartori and Giulia Bocca. Minding the gap (s): public perceptions of ai and socio-technical imaginaries. AI & society, 38(2):443–458, 2023.
  • Georg SpÅNottl and Lars Windelband. The 4th industrial revolution–its impact on vocational skills. Journal of Education and Work, 34(1):29–52, 2021.
  • Min Xu, Jeanne M David, Suk Hi Kim, et al. The fourth industrial revolution: Opportunities and challenges. International journal of financial research, 9(2):90–95, 2018.

Image Credit
'Robot' by Tara Winstead on Pexels

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By educating ourselves and thoughtfully embracing AI, we can better understand our needs and ensure that it serves as a powerful tool for progress and positive change.