The Age of AI

AI Documentary

 "In the Age of AI" from Frontline on PBS was a very informative and eye opening documentary. AI stands for artificial intelligence. I knew about AI before watching this documentary because it has become a popular topic in society, but my knowledge was very limited. However, this video taught me a lot about AI and sparked questions in my mind about its pros and cons and the ethics of it.

How AI Affects Jobs

One part of the video that I found particularly interesting was the discussion of how AI will affect the workforce. The documentary discussed how many people fear that AI will replace humans in many job positions. People think that companies will prefer AI to humans because it allows them to save money by not having to pay workers. 

However, I found the counter argument to this to be just as interesting. Some believe that because AI can increase productivity, it will create the need for more jobs since companies need to keep up with the pace of AI and need more people to do so. Some say that because of this, the number of jobs for people will b e the same or more than without AI.

Sociologist Emily Wornell discussed how people have a greater risk of mortality, depression, and cardiovascular disease when they lose their job for a reason beyond their control. On top of that, the children of these people are more likely to perform poorly in school or even drop out. Automation from AI  is a large reason why many people lose their jobs through not fault of their own.

Privacy

Another major issue concerning AI discussed in the documentary is privacy. One thing in particular that the documentary discussed was how voice activated devices like the Amazon Alexa collect intel on you through what you say. I have a few Amazon Alexa devices in my house. I had always heard people make comments like "Oh Amazon is probably listening to everything you say through that" or "The government can hear you on that." However, I always thought that this was just a joke. I didn't think anyone from Amazon would want to spend time listening to what I'm saying in my house. 

This video made me realize though that it may not be someone that is collecting information about me but rather something. That "something" being AI. The idea that AI is collecting data about me without my permission and that companies are possibly selling it or using it to their advantage scares me.

My Thoughts

This video was very eye opening for me and made me realize that I may be too trusting of technology and naive to the power that AI holds. Personally, I think there needs to be more regulation with AI to protect people's jobs and the privacy of technology users.

Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dZ_lvDgevk