AI Revisited – A Potentially Dangerous Tool

On March 16, 2023, my blog, Relatively Southern, featured a post titled Is AI a Valid Tool for Writers? You may read that post here. https://debradupreewilliams.com/writing/is-ai-a-valid-tool-for-writers/

During my research on this topic, I ran across some alarming statistics and stories. But none of those can even touch what was revealed on a Fox newscast on April 10. I’m presenting facts as I’ve found them. You make up your mind.

AI MAKES THE HEADLINES

AI Revisited - A Potentially Dangerous Tool @DDuPreeWilliams #writing #faith #ArtificialIntelligence Share on X

Here is the headline that accompanied that news story, via the internet.

ChatGPT falsely accuses Jonathan Turley of sexual harassment, concocts fake WaPo story to support allegation.

Whoa!

That alone is enough to make us take notice.

MY SOURCE OF INFO

I heard about this during a podcast my husband had me listen to after I commented to him this week, I’m not comfortable with AI. I think it has the potential to get out of hand very quickly.

Here is that podcast, link to CivilThoughts.com by Jack Fowler. https://www.podbean.com/ei/dir-2cgpc-17a0000f   Fast forward to the 15:50 mark of time to hear this portion. His guest was Victor Davis Hanson. Dr. Hanson is a classicist, military historian, and political commentator according to Wikipedia. I’ve heard his name in our home as my husband respects Dr. Hanson’s intelligence and sound reasoning on a variety of subjects. I think the title Dr. Hanson prefers is farmer.

Both the printable version of the Fox report and the Fowler podcast detailed the fake story.

Here are the main details of the false allegations—Professor Jonathan Turley was falsely accused of sex attacks against students during a trip to Alaska. This trip never happened. So, the AI bots created an incident that didn’t happen on a trip that never happened. And AI quoted a Washington Post story that didn’t exist.

What?

Clearly, AI in the wrong hands has the potential to ruin careers and lives.

AI AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

When asked if he feared AI, Hanson said it goes beyond fear. He then talks about how AI is being used in biological research for gain of function. Here is what the NIH says about this. https://osp.od.nih.gov/policies/national-science-advisory-board-for-biosecurity-nsabb/gain-of-function-research/   I didn’t know that term prior to writing this post. Alarming to me. All I could think of was Covid. There are many links to articles about GOF within this link.

Now, I don’t know if Covid was a valid thought, but it’s what came to my mind.

MINDS BEHIND THE CONTENT

Hanson says there is certainly bias in what is put into these bots. Those who control what goes into the data have the ability to manipulate outcomes by the information they put into their massive files. However, it is the bots who pull out info and create the narrative. But they can only glean from information that is within the files to which they have access.

Those controlling all of this are big companies we, you and I, visit and use every day.

Just yesterday morning, Jane Friedman posted a blog in which the author had positive things to say about AI for writers. I’m trying to give you a look at another opinion. Here is a link to that. https://www.janefriedman.com/how-to-make-productive-use-of-chatgpt-qa-with-elisa-lorello/

WRITING IN A CHANGING WORLD

As Christian writers, we will be affected by this at some point. Woke is taking over rational thought. Indeed, deconstruction of the Christian faith is alive and well. Thriving even. Here is a link to that sermon which was given at the 2023 Shepherd’s Conference by Mike Riccardi. It was outstanding, y’all!!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0l79mNC8ko&list=PLuCGom-QrbwJTgi7r0M5aVghrXudMCpVY&index=13

The ideology of woke is overtaking AI, if it hasn’t already. In the wrong hands, this can be a very dangerous tool. Tread cautiously, my friends. Just because others tout its praises doesn’t mean we have to jump on the bandwagon.

Pray for wisdom and discernment.

Blessings, y’all!

I wish I could find the anthem we sang at IPC in B’ham. It is sooo good. But alas, no one has recorded that.  Such powerful words. Written by Lowell as a protest against the Mexican-American War. It can easily apply to the times in which we are living today. This is about the best version of this I could find. To my ears, at least. I hope it blesses you. I know I’ve used this one in the past. It has always been a favorite. This video messed up every time I tried to post it. It gathered many other things. I hope it works!