Blog #10 : In the Age of AI

 

Artificial Intelligence, or AI - many people may not know what this is, but they should for it is something frightening developing in today's world. I did not know much about Artificial Intelligence until I took a course in science fiction during my first year at High Point University. This course completely immersed me into the world of artificial intelligence by studying it for almost a straight month. I learned a lot about the type of Artificial Intelligence that is a computer or robot. AI in this form was created to interact with humans through computed responses to simulate an interaction with another human being.  These types of AI are developing so quickly, and it is not unlikely that they could think for themselves or become conscious in the future. Not only would this become a major scientific development, but it could also create all types of problems within society. This would increase the margin of jobs and opportunities that machines are already able to do, rather than human beings. Further, this would create extensive debate concerning whether or not this technology could be considered human, if they are conscious. As a result, people may analyze whether these machines should be granted the same human rights that we maintain. My professor explained how much of a large societal issue this could present if AI reaches a certain level of intelligence. 

I was reintroduced to the topic of Artificial Intelligence within my Media Law and Literacy course. Yet this time, instead of learning how AI is venturing towards human intelligence, I learned how AI is able to invade human privacy. Through the Frontlines documentary In the Age of AI, it was proven that artificial intelligence is already invading our privacy, in more ways than one. The most evident ways happen almost constantly online, for there really seems to be no such thing as privacy on the internet, for we gave technology a place in our lives that it it did not earn. 

One of the most notable internet giants that abuses its powers is Google. It has been said that Google's entire business is crafted to learn about you, your dreams, your inspirations, and even your thoughts. Within the Frontline documentary, a Google employee who was asked about the privacy concern responded, “you would be horrified if you knew what we knew about you”. 

Yet, Google is not the only culprit in invading privacy in order to better their company. Facebook is right alongside them in connection to privacy scandals. In 2010, Facebook experimented with AI to send users a direct message urging them to vote in the presidential election. They also offered an “I voted” sticker, leaving Facebook credited with potentially influencing approximately 34,000 Americans to vote. This is one of the few positive examples there are of online software using their abilities for good, by trying to get Americans involved and vote. Yet, at the same time, Facebook was also using their ability to invade the privacy of millions of users. In 2018, it was revealed by The New York Times and The Guardian that over 50 million Facebook profiles and accompanying information were being harvested to hand data to Cambridge Analytic, and thus led to over 9 billion in fines for Facebook and a public apology from CEO Mark Zuckerburg. Data breaches happen all the time, just not typically as widespread in the public eye or reaching such an immense amount of people. In the Facebook case, it was mostly information such as email, name, gender, and location which were leaked, and which are all key parts of our identification. Yet, some data breaches are much more serious, where social security or other information can be breached and lead to identity theft. 

A few years following Facebook's data scandal, there was a push for a law in California in 2017 called the right to know, meaning you can go to any company and ask what they know about you and what they have collected on you within a certain span of time. It is also the right to say no, meaning you can opt to guarantee that no company is tracking or gaining personal information, and you can also opt to make sure that no third parties are obtaining any information.  It was passed in 2018 as The California Consumer Privacy Act, which granted all these rights to citizens of California. It also gave consumers in California the opportunity to sue companies if they perceive any guidelines to be violated. California clearly took a step in the right direction to protect citizens from the dangers of advancing technologies, and is something I hope we will see at a federal level in the future. 

Now if you think all of these cases of Artificial Intelligence in the United States are alarming, look beyond our borders for even more extreme instances. China utilizes AI within almost every aspect of life, for it is on its way to becoming a complete surveillance state. China’s national security is based on routinely invading their citizens' privacy.  Frontline’s documentary on AI showcased how there is surveillance on every street, every corner, every village, and essentially any and every place in China. These cameras are connected to screens that read, track, and identify a person by scanning their face.  The New York Times summed up this surveillance state perfectly, “The Chinese government’s goal is clear: designing a system to maximize what the state can find out about a person’s identity, activities and social connections, which could ultimately help the government maintain its authoritarian rule.” It has been said that there are an estimated 1 billion cameras being actively used as part of this system. They are strategically placed where citizens fulfill their needs such as eating, traveling, shopping, and entertainment. The government has even placed cameras inside residential buildings and bars. It is terrifying that this is happening within our world today, and even more frightening that there are rumors of this surveillance state happening in the United States. 

It is clear that as technology and Artificial Intelligence develop, there is a significant threat to our society, whether it be more invasion of our privacy or more access to our private information. Or, it may be that technology may surpass our abilities. We live in a world where technology is a large influence within our lives, and which has helped shape the modern world we live in today. Yet, we must hope that this technology does not completely take over our lives in the future.