The palpable environment of anxiety that AI companies generate around us is a clear sign that what they represent is not progress, but rather regression—a regression to less stable and less humane times of barbarism rather than a cultivated society headed towards a brighter future. How is creating an environment of constant anxiety progress? Progress in society should be taking us out of survival mode, not putting us deeper into it. And when people are uncertain of the future of work, their dreams, and sustainability, rather than have greater confidence in these things, then that is clearly regression, not progress.
Technological advancement in itself is not a guarantee of progress, let’s not blindly believe that: what matters most is the mindset behind its development. The mindset of AI companies is of the lowest sort: reckless, impulsive, relentless development of AI, without thoughtful consideration for stability of work, education, the arts, and environment. In other words, without the care of us collectively as people in terms of our dreams, aspirations, hopes, and welfare, particularly those of our younger generations. This is a sign of a dystopian cyberpunk society, rather than a higher-minded society that we aspire to, which puts humanity first. A society where those at the top are chanting “adapt or die” and callously joke about replacement is one taken psychologically hostage by “leaders” of a lower order, not led by those at the vanguard of true progress. They belong in prisons rather than running companies.
True progress in society will take into primary consideration fostering and protection of communities, cultivation of depth and substance through arts and humanities, and democratic involvement in deciding where our future is headed towards. AI companies have run the opposite of all these higher values like bulldozers through our human ecosystem: they make people more isolated, they hurt and mock artist communities and true creative self-expression, they turn the education system upside down, they favor appearance of work and results over real work, and change society while ignoring others’ concerns about the risks of the technology. They turn back the clock in terms of our collective cultivation, rather than move things forward.
Technology should build upon what has been created, not destroy it. AI is primarily developed by companies whose motto is “move fast and break things.” Think about it: what they are breaking is us and the society we live in. Advancement of society is a patient progress, and one that deepens us and elevates us, rather than submit to a blind belief that “faster is better.” Our human ecosystems have taken long to create, foster, and maintain: communities, education systems, democracies, true artistry and creativity are things that take time, not pushed out impersonally and vapidly through a machine. We cannot allow what humanity has taken thousands of years to build and blindly hand it over to AI companies to be sacrificed overnight, so they can thoughtlessly shove it through a machine.
Do not believe a word AI companies say simply because they promise a better future “one day.” We need to look at what they literally have been doing and what they are doing now. If they had a true desire for good, they would not have demand all these data centers that impoverish the local areas and drain up water. If they had a true desire for good, they would not have enslaved people to look through their images and content, traumatizing them. If they had a true desire for good, they would not have created an environment of anxiety and uncertainty that seems to diminish collective wellbeing. They operate much more for power and dominance rather than community-mindedness or true desire to cultivate a better society. What makes us think that they will somehow one day become noble-minded? Let’s hold their feet to the fire rather than passively give them the benefit of the doubt, hand the reigns over to them, and “trust in them” in making a better future.
We can take back control from them, after all they are few and we are the many. We do not have to give in to their hegemonic messaging, and believe what they do is inevitable. What they do is NOT inevitable: all AI development is the consequence of human decision making. If the public is against how AI is being developed, the companies will have no choice but to stop. They need to be replaced, not us. Let us stand up for what really matters for a better society and future: authenticity, substance, community, real empathy and humanity!
