Artificial Intelligence Archives

Might I Be Wrong About Artificial Intelligence? How Wrong Could I Be?

I've written about AI, mainly problems. In Extreme Thoughts on Artificial Intelligence I explored the idea that AI offers no benefit, only the jolt of the feeling of accomplishment like the jolt of euphoria of opiates and solving problems created by the system and philosophy that created it. Let's say I'm wrong. Let's say AI offers many benefits I'm missing. How wrong might I be? What difference to us would we see if we stopped using AI compared to if we kept using it? Would we miss it? Would we think, "Darn, my life suffers for lack of AI"? If we stopped using eyeglasses or pressure cookers, I'd miss them. They represent technologies that seem to benefit people without harming others. You could argue that…

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August 28, 2026

Addiction / Artificial Intelligence / Awareness

Extreme Thoughts on Artificial Intelligence

I'd been working on a post about how it may be that AI has no benefit, or negligible enough to round off to zero. I wasn't sure if I'd post it, but some recent statistics in Harper's Index prompted me to. I'll give some context, then the statistics, then the extreme views. Context Most people I've asked about AI who view it positively, by no means a representative sample, describe some use that they say helps them or would, like making slides for a presentation or write emails for them. They never mention people whose values they oppose using AI to help themselves. To be blunt, consider an issue you feel strongly about---possibly abortion or human rights abuses. Now consider that people who oppose your…

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August 18, 2026

Addiction / Artificial Intelligence / Relationships

Heartbreaking: A seventh grade teacher on parents supporting students cheating with artificial intelligence

A friend teaches seventh grade English. I'd read about teachers struggling with students cheating with artificial intelligence, so I asked her about her classes. She teaches at a prestigious Manhattan private school. For context, here are some articles on a publicized case: From Inside Higher Ed: Brown Professor Suspects Majority of His Class Used AI to Cheat From CBC: A U.S. prof suspects most of his students used AI to cheat. It's a growing concern here, too From Fortune: 'Humanity has chosen to become idiots': This Brown professor switched to take-home exams after a mass shooting and discovered mass cheating From El Pais: Professor denounces mass AI fraud on an exam at Brown University: ‘Academic integrity is at risk’ She said the students cheat like it's normal. She…

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August 10, 2026

Artificial Intelligence / Awareness / Creativity / Relationships

What artificial intelligence does to our minds

Say you want to run a marathon. Someone says they developed an amazing exoskeleton. They tell you that when you wear it, it can help you run. You'll be able to finish a marathon in one hour. In fact, it helps you so much, you won't even break a sweat. Running a marathon with an exoskeleton doing the work for you achieves the opposite of the point of running a marathon. Crossing the finish line faster isn't the point. Likewise if you used an exoskeleton to lift weights and could bench a thousand pounds or to play tennis so could beat Federer, etc. Using the exoskeleton transforms an activity designed to build coordination, fitness, and strength achieves the opposite. While "lifting" heavier weights, your muscles…

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May 21, 2026

Addiction / Artificial Intelligence

Nearly everyone misses the danger of artificial intelligence we’re sleepwalking into

When people predict what artificial intelligence will do, they tend to go in a few directions: how it will change their jobs, if it will become intelligent or conscious, if it will take over the world, or if it will solve some problem they face. Technology is a tool that augments people's and culture's abilities. It will tend to accelerate what its users already do. Whom will artificial intelligence help? It will help those with greatest access, which is Silicon Valley firms. What do Silicon Valley types do? The Silicon Valley firms that dominate got there by creating products and services that create emotions that keep you coming back: craving, outrage, etc. Think Facebook, Amazon, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, etc. They create barriers to entry for…

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January 30, 2025