Is it real?
Is it real? …A question I find myself asking more and more these days.
I was at the pharmacy the other day and noticed a beautiful plant on the counter. I love plants so they usually attract my attention.
The one question on my mind as I stood in the queue, staring at this plant was… Is it real?
In the back of my mind I’m always hoping it is real.
But looking at it closer it seems almost too perfect.
The natural urge is to touch it. To verify if its real or not.
When I reached the counter, I touched it.
And
Sadly
It was fake.
But it looked SO real!
Apparently I’m not the only one who asked this question. The pharmacist said she had a few customers asking the same question that day.
Is it real?
When I bought a plant at the store, I asked the same question to the cashier.
Do you think this is real? I asked.
I’m not going to tell you yet what she said.
What I will say is, I happened to ask a young lady who was very well informed about Cacti. Go figure! Out of all the cashiers that day, I just had to ask her! :)
Is it real?
This question got me thinking about the many discussions around Artificial Intelligence.
AI as they call it. And we all have a different take on it…
Some love it.
Some hate it.
Some don’t know enough.
Some don’t care.
Sadly it’s the very people — the creators of AI — who let this out into the world, who in my opinion, didn’t know enough.
Because how do you let something so powerful freely into the world without any boundaries or rules.
What’s that spiderman quote…. “With great power…”
Power in the wrong hands is dangerous.
We’ve seen this. Throughout history, and in present times. The destruction this brings into everyday life, across the globe is devastating. Greed, pride, war, instant satisfaction… will we ever learn.
I’m in the in-between group — the haters and don’t know enough.
There’s so much content on the internet about AI… I don’t even know if AI or a human wrote it.
Does it matter?
It matters to me. Very much actually.
I don’t know enough.
Many jobs have been and will be replaced by AI.
Automation.
How do we stay ahead of something that’s 10 steps ahead of us.
As humans we create and we destroy… sadly, ourselves in the process.
Is THIS! real?
I’m seeing it in software development. We want things faster — to save time — save costs. Even the movie industry, illustrators and writers are feeling the impact. Education as well. Perhaps it will force us to think more creatively about our jobs. Still… livelihoods are consumed by this thing we call AI.
Ever wondered where the term, AI came from?
I don’t know enough yet.
I’m not here to rally for or against AI.
There’s bad and good.
A balance. Everything has its place.
It would be wonderful if AI could cure Cancer.
Could cure Alzheimer’s.
I’d really like THAT! to be real.
The answer the cashier gave me when I asked her if she thought this plant was real…
She said, “yes it is”. I asked, “how can you be sure?” She said “If you look very close at the tips of the cacti, there’s little spikes that plastic ones do not have.”
Detail. Expertise.
She knew this because her family are experts on Cacti. Like I said, go figure! I had to ask her of all people that day.
One day the difference between what’s real and what’s not, will be so minuscule… like a spike off a cacti plant, it will become nearly impossible to tell the difference.
The more we find ourselves asking, is it real?
The more we must hold onto our values.
Our human values. Our emotions.
And THAT! IS the difference between what is real and what isn’t… at least for now.
To quote from Star Trek …
“In a part of space where there are few rules, it’s more important than ever to hold fast onto our own”
Note: This was NOT written by AI.
I handwrote this in a physical notebook because I believe the action of physical handwriting, helps to us to process information. Helps us to think.
