Artificial Intelligence has become an increasingly popular topic within the media. Its rapid advances in the technology realm have left many interested in how its uses could progress in the future. According to Science.org, a group of computer scientists, neuroscientists, and philosophers have come together to create a list of traits that could suggest an AI as its own consciousness. This 120-page discussion of possible traits that could suggest technological personhood is nowhere near decisive but does bring attention to what artificial intelligence is capable of. While the idea of a computer program having its own consciousness is highly debated, it raises important questions about the evolution of AI. It brings to light what kind of effect AI technology could have on other realms of human life as it's coding constantly improves and the deception it cultivates when it is seen as a real person rather than a program.
With the upcoming 2024 presidential election, many are concerned about the political affiliations that AI could be programmed to push, or if it has political bias in the information it provides to those that use it. Tallahassee house bill 919 has recently been proposed to require all political ads created with AI to have a public notice. The argument for this bill to be ratified is due to rising concerns that AI can be used to spread misinformation that can seem extremely real. Representative Alex Rizzo believes “the increasing access to sophisticated AI-generated content threatens the integrity of elections by facilitating the dissemination of misleading or completely fabricated information that appears to be more realistic than ever”. As AI technology advances, it becomes increasingly harder to distinguish content created by a human from content that was AI generated. It threatens what is seen as “truth” in a time where political transparency is vital to electing leaders of the country.
The notion of AI bias also comes into light when analyzing its effects on politics. AI is often used to find quick information on topics in a condensed form. Google’s new AI, Gemini, has been a concern recently as many users have noticed a left-leaning bias in the content it creates. If a technological tool for gathering information and providing it to the user is catering to one side of politics, it becomes a biased tool that cannot be trusted to give information that avoids pushing certain agendas. Google has since released a statement stating that they plan to rework the code that only caters to half of the political sphere of the US.
If we are to see AI as its own consciousness, is it within the rights of programmers to censor the information it provides? What will the future hold for AI technology advances and how is the government going to intervene? As artificial intelligence improves, these are the questions we must ask.
References:
Finkel, Elizabeth. “If Ai Becomes Conscious, How Will We Know?” Science.Org, 22 Aug. 2023, www.science.org/content/article/if-ai-becomes-conscious-how-will-we-know.
Gregory, Holly, et al. “Artificial Intelligence Bill in Tallahassee.” Spectrum News 13, 27 Feb. 2024, mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2024/02/27/ai-in-campaigns-bill-and-the-michigan-primary.
McArdle, Megan. “Opinion | Female Popes? Google’s Amusing Ai Bias Underscores ...” The Washington Post , 27 Feb. 2024, www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/02/27/google-gemini-bias-race-politics/.
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