A while ago, I was at a convention with Robert Sawyer, who had written one of my favorite series (The WWW series) in which the internet becomes sentient. In the book, the internet uses its ability to help researchers combine studies done and helps advance medicine and technology and otherwise push us toward a better future.

I asked him if he thought it was possible and that could happen with AI.

Sadly, he said no — he was not optimistic, despite the fact that most of his books have a satisfying ending…

But in general, I think AI will improve our lives eventually in those areas (NOT in the artistic areas — I can’t imagine AI producing good literature or art). But not yet. AI that gives us completely wrong answers on google or that gives wrong diagnoses or legal research isn’t what we need, obviously.

The problem now is that the technology isn’t up to it. Someday we won’t need huge AI centers gobbling up electricity and reservoirs of water. Someday it will be able to differentiate between facts and lies. But not yet. You shouldn’t rely on it.

Anyway, AI is not going away. We need to control it and regulate it and demand that it isn’t used for creative endeavors. And we need to make sure it’s used ethically.