A few weeks ago, a politician in the New Brunswick legislature was called out for using an AI (Artificial Intelligence) generated speech. The story how he was caught is unusual.
Old versions of AI used to need “prompts”. Newer versions actually help with prompts. Like a coach helping a member on the team, giving encouragement and tips.
Newest AI versions go further. Besides how to deliver a baseball, they will basically do it for you. They are very good. As a good friend or most coaches would act. Users are actually encouraged, by the AI they are using, to interact with the AI. AIs today programmed to shift their behaviour to get the user to keep returning to using them.
Sound like a familiar story? Like, drugs, drinking or gambling addictions? You are absolutely correct!
The truth is, AIs designed to do this are just the next step in the addictive methods already used by chat to keep you coming back to them. You post regularly on a discussion board someplace? You are being used. And every time you feel good after your latest posts and of course, the “likes” and responses you get, it is all part of the system made to keep you coming back.
Dark corners of the world are constantly looking for the “perfect drug.” The one that takes just one shot to make you keep coming back for more. Reality is, it isn’t a chemical. It’s online.
If you are one of the people who can’t stop looking at their phone, in the middle of the night, first thing in the morning, walking or driving to work, in the middle of a conversation with somebody, in the middle of lunch, guess what? You are doing exactly what the designers of the software want you to do.
People have 10,000 excuses why they do what they do when it comes to addictive behaviour. Why they eat too much. Why they love the “high” they get from running. Drinking. Gambling. All the bad behaviours historically described as addictions, have been said simply: “Anything that interferes with your normal day-to-day life in a negative manner.”
Look around and see people twinking with their phones constantly, putting a number on that is hard. We can just say “Lots!” or “Way too many.” Interestingly, one source says probably 20 per cent or so of politicians use AI in their speeches. Is this good or bad? Well, actually, too many politicians at provincial or federal levels have speechwriters. But why hire somebody who might write a book some day? These days, get an AI. It will make you sound wiser, friendlier, smarter and really, really good.
Right? Probably, until it doesn’t. Like being on a winning streak on the VLT’s. Great until the machines turn on you.
Back to our New Brunswick politician. His mistake was printing out the AI chat, which of course came with tips and tips and pointers right in the speech. In this fellow’s case, it was all there. Sure a “Pause here.” A “speak firmly” there. But so much. Our politician gave the speech in the legislature and read the “prompts” right along with the speech!
Incredibly, nobody at the time noticed. Maybe most were too “busy” on their phones.
Jeff Burgar