Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing the world around us. From the way we shop to the way we interact with each other, AI is becoming increasingly pervasive in every aspect of life. But as AI becomes more powerful, it also raises some serious concerns about the future of our society or more .
One of the biggest concerns is that AI could lead to a post-truth world. In a post-truth world, facts are less important than beliefs. People are more likely to believe what they want to believe, regardless of whether it is true or not. This is because AI can be used to create highly realistic fake news and deepfakes that can be very difficult to distinguish from real content.
There are a number of reasons why humans are not mentally ready for an AI-saturated post-truth world. First, we all are naturally susceptible to believing false information. This is because our brains are wired to find patterns and make connections, even when there are none. AI can exploit this tendency by creating fake news and deepfakes that seem to fit with our existing beliefs.
Second, we are not good at evaluating the credibility of information. We tend to trust information that confirms our existing beliefs, even if it is not from a reliable source. AI can make this problem worse by creating fake news and deepfakes that look like they come from trusted sources and people like government officials.
Third, as a whole we are not good at dealing with ambiguity. AI can create a world where it is increasingly difficult to tell what is real and what is not. This can lead to anxiety, stress, and even depression. Given the rise in mental health issue this would cause a great stress on society.
The rise of AI is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, AI has the potential to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems. On the other hand, AI also poses a serious threat to our democracy and our way of life.
If we are to avoid a post-truth world, we need to start thinking about how to prepare ourselves for the challenges that AI poses. We need to learn how to evaluate the credibility of information, how to deal with ambiguity, and how to protect ourselves from the spread of disinformation.
We also need to start thinking about how to regulate and make sure that AI is used for good and not evil. The development of clear structured policies is needed to ensure that AI is not used to manipulate people or to spread misinformation.
The future of AI is uncertain. But one thing is for sure: we need to be mentally prepared for the challenges that AI poses. If we are not, we could end up living in a post-truth world where facts are meaningless and truth is relative.
What can you do to prepare for a post-truth world? Here are a few ideas with links:
- Learn how to evaluate the credibility of information.
- Learn how to deal with ambiguity.
- Protect yourself from the spread of disinformation.
- Get involved in the debate about how to regulate AI.
The future of AI is in our hands. Let’s make sure that we use AI for good and not for evil.