Blog Post #11 - Living in the Age of AI

 Artificial Intelligence 

Artificial intelligence is a concept that really frightens me. In the video, one aspect that really stood out to me is when a technician was being interviewed and he stated that he was worried for the future of our society. His statement made me realize how much I am personally afraid for the future.

I am a young adult who is preparing to graduate college and enter the working field. I am very worried that artificial intelligence will cause a dramatic decrease in the number of available job opportunities in the world. One of my very first jobs was being a hostess at a local restaurant. I worry about the future of my kids and what their first jobs will be. Most 16-year-old kids find jobs within restaurants as their first working experience.

My Experience with Technology

Growing up, I was always scared of computers. In school, I always had the computer monitor that was slow or wasn't working very well. Everyone else seemed to really enjoy computers while I was still trying to understand how they worked. I remember when we were given laptops in school and how nervous I was about using them. 

Personally, I'm scared of computers because I don't trust them. I don't like how computers know when we are trying to say before we type it. I don't like how computers tell the government everything we are googling. I don't ever think I was trust computers. Computers cause our privacy to simply not exist anymore. Everything we do is monitored, even phone calls. 

Enough with the Cons, what about the Pros?

Despite my fear and distrust with technology, there are still many positive aspects. Technology allows for us to live simpler and more efficient lives. My mom was born in the late 1960's, and I grew up hearing stories about what school was like for my mom. She told me how there wasn't a way to google anything. She had to go to the library, check out a book, and read through it hoping to find her answer. My mom also grew up typing her school papers on typewriters, not a personal computer. 

My Feelings Towards Technology

I am very fortunate for growing up in the technological age that I'm in, but sometimes I worry that my kids won't grow up the same way I did. I didn't receive a phone or computer until I was 14 years old. I spent my childhood playing outside with my friends. I believe that technology hinders creativity and decreases imagination. I feel that sometimes people my age often forget that there is a world outside of their smartphone.