AI: Automation of Intelligence

Automation. The process of replacing human labour in certain tasks with technology - be it a windmill, a steam engine, a robot, or AI. There are a variety of reasons why automation is pursued. Often dangerous work can be performed by machines, instead of by people. Or work that is too difficult for us can easily be performed by a machine instead. Imagine if we had to lift all these heavy objects during constructions of our buildings, like they had to do in "ye olden times". Thank god for the electric crane. In critical applications, the error prone humans get quickly replaced by the machine. There is much to be said on the "fairness" of automation - technologies coming and replacing human labour, not necessarily because they are a better alternative, but simply because they are cheaper. These issues I will leave for another essay.

I will quote here the literature on Self-Driving Vehicles (or Autonomous Vehicles), which claims that such automation promises "to change the world in profound ways. The suggested benefits include safety, efficiency and accessibility" [1]. " Such modes of transportation promise to reduce the frequency of traffic accidents (safety), offer possibly faster and cheaper services (as no human is involved more efficient), and would allow even people with impairments to travel without needing the assistance of others (accessibility). And most important of all (as we have seen with people using their Teslas) - the human can be reduced to a passenger, merely enjoying the ride, without needing to stress about the laws of traffic. The human is not needed.

These are indeed "nobel" and "good" cause that justify the further development of such technologies. But recent developments, with AI generated art, Large Language Models, etc. show a worrying trend. These point to the ultimate target of AI researchers - to create machines capable of the same or greater reasoning than us. If the goal of automation is to replace humans in certain activities, making our lives easier, safer, better, then what do these AI technologies automate? What activity have humans become too burdened with that we need to outsource it to the machine?

"Reason itself", an answer is heard. The weight laid onto us from our original sin has proven too great for us. The apple which gave us reason, the ability to discern options, to choose from them, and be aware of good and evil, has also ultimately cursed us with consequences and the knowledge of them. To leave choice to man... His ability to err poses too much of a risk. We have long left our economy, with its complexies and intricasies, to the machine [2], [3]. We are giddy with excitement to leave the rest of this world to them [4]. "Leave the decisions to the machines. Let them be wary with options and consequences". We will only enjoy the spoils of their world. Creative work too, with its demand for invested effort, has become too much to bare. All art now becomes possible at the press of a button. There is no stone that is left unturnt, no melody unsung, no canvas undrawn. "Leave art to the machines!" We will only enjoy the spoils of their work. An endless consumption without production. Without effort, without labour, we can now finally indulge in an all-encompassing cornucopia.

Perhaps it is lonely at the top. The sad realisation that behind every villainous act hides just another human. Maybe if we meet another advanced alien civilisation, we will abandon our pursuits of Artificial Intelligence, in favour of understanding and comparing with the Other Intelligence. Until then we may only revel in our infinite stories of demons, ghosts, and anything that can fill the void of a worthy opponent to play the game of life with. But the fatalistic nature of AI-related literature suggests a different myth. A panicked anxiety mixed with a subconscious ecstacy at the thought of someone greater reigning over us. Todestrieb. A new apex predator. An omnipotent, omniscient, omnibenevolent artificial deity that may at last rescue us from our chains. And it must be by force, as a way to prove its own superiority. Like Zeus violently overthrowing Saturn, who himself overthrew his father Uranus, so too must AI castrate us and then we will finally, in good conscience, hand over the reins of reason to someone else with the proud declaration, "Leave it to the machines!"