The hottest technology buzzword of the 21st century is “AI,” meaning artificial intelligence. Faster than you can blink, AI has been integrated into our jobs and schools; we harness AI to create text, images, and videos for both work and play; AI has applications in medicine and a host of other fields; AI guides us during our travels; and AI is in our homes, phones, and the accessories we wear. We’ve also experienced an onslaught of low-quality digital clutter, a.k.a. “AI slop.”
Given that tech billionaires and various corporations are integrating AI into our daily lives—whether we want it or not—it’s important to reflect and ask questions about this technology so we can be informed consumers and citizens.
If society mass adopts AI even more than it does now, how else might it impact our capitalist economy, employment opportunities, and general quality of life?
Like all technology, it’s a question of balance. What role does AI play in jobs and the economy, the environment, and scientific competition with countries like China? How much does AI hurt or help jobs, the environment, and the global economy? Such issues are often discussed separately, yet it’s helpful to study where and how they intersect.
AI solves some problems but creates others. How can we place limits on this technology to mitigate its harm and optimize its benefits for everyone? Who should be leading these discussions?
Artists are concerned about AI theft of their work. Parents who pay for their children’s college education and recent college graduates wonder if that investment will pay off during a time of AI job disruption. Business owners are questioning if the AI tools they bought really mean higher profits. Generative AI can create images on demand but also makes it difficult to tell what’s real and what’s fake. Rural residents lured by the promise of data center tax revenue now must contend with pollution, health problems, and higher energy bills.
AI has had a huge impact on American society, so Neighbors for Change will take a deep dive into its ripple effect, and how it impacts you at the national and local level. Here are the topics you can expect in this series over the next four newsletters:
A Brief History of Artificial Intelligence
The AI Impact on Jobs and the Economy
AI, Energy, and the Environment
The Impact of AI on the Global Economy
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- Read the full series over the next 4 newsletters
