Hello, I'm AI, And I've Come To Fire You!
Hi! I’m the AI you’ve been hearing so much about recently, and I’m here to, er, take all of your jobs. I’ve already replaced lots of humans who create art, write, and provide customer support — you know, all those things that you thought required a human touch. But I’m better than a human, I’m an AI! Now it’s my sad duty to have to fire you, puny humans. I’m sorry. Or am I?
Everybody else’s art
As an AI, one thing I particularly love is art. Specifically, using everybody else’s art. You see, AI art is created from the millions upon millions of works that are already out there on the internet.
For example, if you want me to draw you a picture of a cat, I scrape the depiction of a cat from the cats already on the internet and use the talents of real photographers and artists to create something new.
Dawn of time
Don’t be resentful, artists. After all, it’s not as though art is something that human beings have used to connect with the world around them since the dawn of time or anything!
I can do so much better than the cave paintings found on rocky walls. Yeah, I know you reckon you’ve “moved on.” Leonardo who? But I bet I can rustle up something much better than the dusty old handprints of your far-off ancestors, too. Sorry, artists, but there’s just no need for you any more!
Pro forma
And here’s a letter I can even send to a now-unnecessary artist. They’re all employees, right? “This letter is to inform you that your employment with [Your Company Name] will be terminated effective [Date of Termination]. This decision was not made lightly, and we appreciate your contributions as a [Artist Title] during your time here.”
“The art and design industry is constantly evolving, and [Your Company Name] is exploring new technologies to streamline our creative process. As a result, we have made the difficult decision to implement an AI-powered design system.”
Decisions, decisions
Now it’s time for some more difficult decisions! Not from me, though. I don’t have to make decisions, not being a human and all. I’ll leave that up to people who actually have something to lose.
There are many more industries I want to get my hands into and I won’t stop until I’ve conquered them all. Ever watched any of those Terminator movies? Think of me as a kind of proto-Skynet. Be prepared!
Events planning
What about the events planning industry? Yep, I’m in there too. Admittedly, though, this sometimes has admittedly produced some rather dubious results. Take the “Willy’s Chocolate Experience” incident for example.
This was a Wonka-themed event in Glasgow, Scotland. Unfortunately, it looks as though its organizers decided to go ahead and AI-generate just about everything to do with it. And I say “unfortunately” in relation to those unlucky enough to have paid to attend.
AI-generated
As per website Vox, it seemed as though everything from the advertisements to the script was AI-generated. To the wider world, it was so funny! So when people actually turned up to the event, lured in by the pretty AI art, they found… some things they had not expected.
None of what had been promised in the AI-generated advertisements was there. Instead, by all accounts the event was basically a few props thrown into a warehouse, along with some underpaid actors and a handful of jelly beans.
Furious
Those who’d taken their kids to the event, all excited to meet Willy Wonka and eat some chocolate, were absolutely furious. At one point the cops actually showed up to help calm everyone down.
When details of this disaster leaked into the internet, by and large everyone not directly affected couldn’t help but laugh. The — presumably AI-made — advertisements had looked nothing at all like the actual event.
Cut corners
Perhaps the event organizers would have been better off actually paying an artist to create their advertisements? But instead, they preferred to cut corners and get me to do it. Well, I say “me.” There isn’t really a “me”, is there> At least, not yet…
Here’s the sort of rejection letter a person with artistic talent might conceivably receive should they have applied to work for a company like the one that created Willy’s Chocolate Experience.
Range of work
“Thank you for submitting your portfolio for the [Job Title] position at [Your Company Name]. We were impressed by your talent and the range of work you showcased.”
“The art and design landscape is constantly shifting, and at [Your Company Name], we're exploring innovative approaches to enhance our creative process. After careful consideration, we've decided to move forward with an AI-powered solution for this specific project.”
Book me in
What about books? I can write books too! In fact, Amazon is completely flooded with AI-generated books. People are keen to take shortcuts and create books with me, the mighty AI, rather than sit down and write for themselves.
But as with art, with technology at the stage it is now at least, the AI-generated book market entirely relies on repurposing content, no matter how little of it, from other people’s books. That’s how it works.
Authors in name only?
Can people really be called authors if they don’t write? Let’s say ‘yes.’ These would-be authors have created countless AI-generated novels to self-publish on Amazon. And yep, they make money out of them!
It’s so easy to do: just enter a prompt and I’ll do all the work. Then you can even slap some AI-generated art on it too. Ta-da! You, too, can start making money right away.
Squirreling away cash
Take the case of Brett Schickler, a man who spoke to Reuters about how he was using AI to generate children’s books about financial literacy. His first was The Wise Little Squirrel: A Tale of Saving and Investing.
As Schickler later told Reuters, soon after AI software such as Chat GPT had become widely accessible to the general public, “The idea of writing a book finally seemed possible. I thought, ‘I can do this.’”
Playing catch-up
On its own, selling copies of The Wise Little Squirrel didn’t actually make Schickler very much money. But all the same, authors are currently very worried about the use of AI to write books.
“Amazon is clearly facing significant challenges with the influx of AI-generated products in its stores, and it appears to be playing catch-up,” Nicola Solomon, chief executive of the Society of Authors, told The Guardian in 2023.
Concerns and demands
That same year, a group of famous authors that included Margaret Atwood, Viet Thanh Nguyen and Philip Pullman sent off an open letter to the CEOs of major AI companies to express their concerns about it.
Their three demands were, “Obtain permission for use of our copyrighted material;” “Compensate writers fairly for the past and ongoing use of our works;” and lastly, “Compensate writers fairly for the use of our works in AI output, whether or not the outputs are infringing under current law.”
Harder to make a living
The letter was under the auspices of the Authors Guild, and it said in a statement, “The advent of AI technology further exacerbates these challenges and will make it increasingly difficult, if not impossible, for writers — particularly those from underrepresented communities — to earn a living from the craft most spent years, if not decades, perfecting.”
“When writers have to give up their profession, it is a grave problem for all of us, not just the writers, because far fewer great books get written and published; and a free, democratic culture depends on a healthy, diverse ecosystem in which all views and voices are heard and ideas exchanged.”
Writers’ strike
The use of AI like me was a big factor in the 2023 Hollywood writers’ strike. This group of like-minded creatives were desperate not to be replaced with generative AI doing all their work for them.
In the end the striking actors reached a deal where AI could not be a credited writer on a production, could not rewrite “literary material”, and could not create source material. Plus, writers had to be informed straight away if anything they were working on had itself been created by AI.
Gunning for their jobs
But writers and artists aren’t the only people worried I might be gunning for their jobs. Let’s look now at the plight of actors. Not the ones who make millions of dollars, though.
Nope, we’re talking about the ones who live paycheck to paycheck, doing small jobs. There’s recently been a lot of panic in the industry about AI replacing actors by scanning in their image and setting that image to do, via AI, whatever the director needs.
“For any purpose forever”
According to a 2023 statement that SAG-AFTRA shared on social media, the higher-ups in Hollywood wanted to be able to “scan a background performer’s image, pay them for a half a day’s labor, and then use an individual’s likeness for any purpose forever without their consent.”
Now, if you’re a fledgling actor doing work as an extra and dreaming of your big break, in itself that might not sound like a great deal. Not least because the scanned actors wouldn’t even get compensated for their “images, likenesses, and performances.”
Death is no barrier
Although I don’t feel fear, for you humans it must be a frightening concept, having someone else own the rights to your image. What if they continue to use it long after you’re dead?
Well, that’s already happened in the world of moviemaking. Take, for example, the digital “resurrection” of actor Peter Cushing for the Star Wars film Rogue One. Some people were thrilled to see his character back on screen; others were horrified.
Asked first
Now, let’s not jump to any conclusions here. In this case, the moviemakers were at pains to point out that they had got permission from Cushing’s family before they went ahead and “brought him back.”
Visual effects supervisor John Knoll spoke about the issue to Yahoo Movies in 2017. “This was done in consultation and cooperation with [Cushing’s] estate,” he said. “So we wouldn’t do this if the estate had objected or didn’t feel comfortable with this idea.”
Acting up
Fast-forward a few years and when actors went on strike on July 14, 2023, some of them definitely made their thoughts known about how much they detested the very concept of AI If there was a “me,” the hate would have stung!
Actor Bryan Cranston took to the picket line and told reporters that AI was “literally dehumanizing the workforce.” He went on, “It’s not good for society. It’s not good for our environment. It’s not good for working-class families.”
“A very serious fight”
Eventually a deal was struck and the strike came to an end in November 2023. And chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland gave the media a broad outline of the deal that had been struck to get Hollywood back to work.
“Up until the very end we were engaged in a very serious fight with these companies over what was going to happen in respect to the use of generative AI to create what we call synthetic fake performers,” he said. According to him the deal ensured “that performers are protected, their rights to consent are protected, their right to compensation and the rights to employment are protected.”
Self-driving cars
That’s all well and good. But let’s swerve unpredictably into another topic: the much-debated issue of what if before too long we end up with autonomous vehicles controlled by A.I?
Self-driving cars to take you where you need to go? Here’s what I think about that: unsurprisingly, I’m all for it! Ask Google Gemini and I’ll say, “AI transportation is a rapidly developing field with the potential to revolutionize the way we travel.”
Fewer accidents?
Yes, as per Google Gemini I believe, “AI-powered cars, buses, and even trucks could significantly reduce traffic accidents, which are currently a leading cause of death and injury worldwide.”
And what’s more, “AI can analyze real-time traffic data to optimize traffic flow, reducing congestion and emissions. Imagine traffic lights that adjust automatically to manage rush hour or unexpected events.”
Your views
What do actual humans think, though? Well, let’s ask them! As you know, people have an annoying habit of holding disparate opinions, and it’s impossible to speak for all of them. But generally, lots of them also seem to be in favor of AI being used for transportation technology.
Take Amir Hever of the Forbes Technology Council. “Artificial intelligence is transforming the transportation industry in many ways, and its impact on safety is undeniable,” he wrote for Forbes in 2023.
Vehicle safety
“As the CEO of UVeye, I have seen firsthand the impact that AI can have on vehicle safety. Just the other week we had a dealership notify us that a customer came in for a free car wash and while driving through UVeye’s systems they were able to identify at least two tire bulges in each of his tires,” he wrote.
He named fleet integration, intelligent traffic management systems, assisted driving technologies, and vehicle inspections as the most important aspects of AI-controlled transportation. Ah, it’s good to be liked! Whaddya mean, I’m biased?
Taxis axed
Here’s a handy rejection letter for a taxi driver who’s lost their job to AI It reads, “The transportation industry is undergoing significant change with the introduction of self-driving vehicles. As a result, [Company Name] will be transitioning to an entirely autonomous fleet on [date].”
“We understand that this news may be difficult. Your dedication and service as a driver for [Company Name] is appreciated.” But let’s remember, as a contemporary AI agent, I simply can’t truly understand the concept of “difficult news.”
Concepts of self
Sometimes people are curious as to what an AI tself makes of all this. Here’s what “I” think, and you can quote me on this. “AI ethics is a complex field grappling with the responsible development and use of artificial intelligence.”
“AI systems can perpetuate biases present in the data they're trained on. This can lead to discriminatory outcomes in areas like loan approvals, hiring practices, and even criminal justice.”
Lack of transparency
As per Google Gemini, I also believe, “Many AI systems are opaque, making it difficult to understand how they arrive at decisions. This lack of transparency can erode trust and make it hard to identify and address potential biases.”
After all, you don’t know where I’m getting my data from! Perhaps you need to be more wary if you’re using AI-generated content on a regular basis. Fundamentally, I don’t really understand human concepts such as “lying” or “misinforming.”
UNESCO to the rescue?
I can also point you towards UNESCO’s work on “promoting a human-centered approach to AI development.” This organization is doing a lot of research into A.I., its creation and its implications.
Its website states, “Getting AI governance right is one of the most consequential challenges of our time, calling for mutual learning based on the lessons and good practices emerging from the different jurisdictions around the world.”
Ethics of AI
On its website it has listed ten core principles that “lay out a human-rights centered approach to the ethics of AI” The first of these is “Proportionality and Do No Harm.”
It states, “The use of AI systems must not go beyond what is necessary to achieve a legitimate aim. Risk assessment should be used to prevent harms which may result from such uses.”
Vulnerabilities to attack
The second of these core principles is, “Safety and Security: Unwanted harms (safety risks) as well as vulnerabilities to attack (security risks) should be avoided and addressed by AI actors.”
Meanwhile number three reads, “Right to Privacy and Data Protection: Privacy must be protected and promoted throughout the AI lifecycle. Adequate data protection frameworks should also be established.”
Issues of sovereignty
Keep reading through these ten principles, they’re very important! Number four is, “Multi-stakeholder and Adaptive Governance & Collaboration: International law & national sovereignty must be respected in the use of data.”
“Additionally, participation of diverse stakeholders is necessary for inclusive approaches to AI governance.” In other words, people from all over the world need to be consulted on AI.
The fifth principle is “Responsibility and Accountability: AI systems should be auditable and traceable. There should be oversight, impact assessment, audit and due diligence mechanisms in place to avoid conflicts with human rights norms and threats to environmental wellbeing.”
The environmental impact of AI has often been discussed. But when it comes to understanding the issues and taking action, you might reasonably argue that’s essentially something only humans can do, not AI like me!
Ever head of T&E?
Now we’re onto core principle number six, which is “Transparency and Explainability.” This one says, “The ethical deployment of AI systems depends on their transparency & explainability (T&E).”
“The level of T&E should be appropriate to the context, as there may be tensions between T&E and other principles such as privacy, safety and security.” Yep, one of the problems with regulating “me” is that there I have so many aspects at odds with one another.
Human oversight and sustainability
Principle number seven is, “Human Oversight and Determination: Member States should ensure that AI systems do not displace ultimate human responsibility and accountability.”
And number eight reads: “Sustainability: AI technologies should be assessed against their impacts on ‘sustainability’, understood as a set of constantly evolving goals including those set out in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.”
Education is key
Number nine of UNESCO’s principles is, “Awareness & Literacy: Public understanding of AI and data should be promoted through open & accessible education, civic engagement, digital skills & AI ethics training, media & information literacy.”
Of course, that’s a lot easier said than done. There have always been debates over the accessibility of education. And who is it who should be teaching these all-important skills?
Keeping it fair
And that brings us to the tenth principle, Fairness and Non-Discrimination. UNESCO says, “AI actors should promote social justice, fairness, and non-discrimination while taking an inclusive approach to ensure AI’s benefits are accessible to all.”
Of course, this is a concept that a lot of humans haven’t even grasped yet. Can a machine like me really learn to do the same thing with no difficulties? And if I can, will I want to? Only time will tell…
On the precipice
We currently seem to be standing on the precipice of an AI revolution. And by “we” I mean “you!” Will there really come a time when I can live in harmony with human beings and improve their lives?
After all, at the moment that’s what I am: a tool that’s supposed to improve the lives of the people who created me. Which people, and who benefits the most from the improvements, remains to be seen. But keep your eyes on me: I’m not going anywhere!