A few weeks ago, a politician in the New Brunswick legislature was called out for using an artificial intelligence (AI) generated speech. The story how he was caught is unusual.
While old versions of AI used to need “prompts,” newer versions actually help with prompts – like a coach helping a member of a team, giving encouragement and tips. The newest AI versions go further.
They are very good, as good as a good friend or most coaches. Users are actually encouraged, by the AI they are using, to interact more. AI systems today are programmed to shift their behaviour to get the user to keep returning to using them. Sound like a familiar story?
The truth is, AI systems designed to do this are just the next step in the addictive methods already used by chat platforms to keep you coming back to them.
Do you post regularly on a discussion board someplace? You are being used.
Every time you feel good after your latest post, including, of course, when you get “likes” and responses, it is all part of the system made to keep you coming back.
Dark corners of the world are constantly looking for the “perfect drug.” The one that takes just one shot to make you keep coming back for more. In reality, the perfect addiction isn’t chemical – it’s being online. If you are one of the people who can’t stop looking at their phone in the middle of the night, first thing in the morning, over coffee, walking or driving to work, in the middle of a conversation with somebody, in the middle of lunch, guess what? You are doing exactly what the designers of the software want you to do.
People have ten thousand excuses why they do what they do when it comes to addictive behaviour. All the bad behaviours that were historically described as addictions have been said to be simply anything that interferes with your normal day-to-day life in a negative manner.
Look around and you’ll see people messing with their phones constantly. Interestingly, one source says probably 20 per cent or so of politicians use AI in their speeches. Is this good or bad? Well, actually, too many politicians at provincial or federal levels have speechwriters. AI will make you sound wiser, friendlier, smarter and really, really good at what you do.
Right? Probably, until it doesn’t. Like being on a winning streak on the VLT’s. Great until the machines turn on you.
Back to our New Brunswick politician. His mistake was printing out the AI chat, which, of course, included tips and pointers right in the speech. In this fellow’s case, it was all there: a “pause here,” a “speak firmly” there. Our politician gave the speech in the legislature and read the “prompts” right along with the speech. Incredibly, nobody at the time noticed. Maybe most were too “busy” on their phones.
Jeff Burgar
For the Lakeside Leader