Artificial Intelligence and Natural Stupidity

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is all the rage. Despite the widespread enthusiasm, I believe that it is part of our current overblown hi-tech hysteria, and in the end will prove to be counterproductive.

First, a clarification: I am not referring to the cutting-edge research aimed at mimicking and exceeding actual human intelligence, a venture which is a horror story unto itself. Rather, the subject of this post is the current manifestation of AI, along with expected near-future applications based on an expansion of the same processes.

The AI that we are now experiencing is essentially a wider and deeper exploitation of data, which enables increased automation. There is no “intelligence” involved, only pushing the boundaries of existing computer technology.

Considering our society’s fascination with digital technology, the situation could hardly be otherwise. Few people seem to care that the world around us is decaying by the minute; infrastructure is crumbling while new buildings and products are increasingly ugly and flimsy. But our screens are sharper than ever, and we have apps that enable us to graphically represent any fantasy. Oh, and the stock market is booming, thanks to this great whiz-bang tech stuff. So it’s all good.

AI will accelerate the ongoing degeneration of intellect. Instead of an internet search that brings you to a well-composed essay, or even a mediocre article in Encyclopedia Britannica, you are fed a hodgepodge of data. By aggregating diverse sources into a virtual trash compactor, with no real intelligence to guide the process, the result is drastic reduction of quality, as well as disaggregation of mind.

One could make the case that everything AI touches, turns to dreck. The term artificial intelligence doesn’t quite cover it; I would instead call this transformation natural stupidity. Most brain work can be automated, if quality is thrown out the window. If there is no need for refinement, subtlety, or beauty, what purpose does human intervention serve? A world in which AI has seeped into every nook and cranny will make Cuban communism look like a luxury brand.

Here is a flow chart showing the march of progress:

Highly intelligent people (fantastic goods and services, as late as 1965) >> Reasonably intelligent people (acceptable goods and services, 1970s and 80s) >> Mediocrities and midwits (mixed bag of quality, 1990-2010) >> Morons (you are here) >> AI

If you want a brutal illustration, consider the medical industry. Even without AI, the “provider” stares into his computer screen, rarely interacting physically with the patient. Might as well go full AI and dispense with the intermediary, there’s not much difference at this point. In fact, automated medical treatment has already begun. When doctors are finally eliminated, the medical public relations machine will be bragging about the cost savings.

A curious repercussion of AI is the anticipated use of electricity. How are the sagging U.S. and European power grids supposed to handle the load of these enormous data centers? This new energy hog will aggravate the effects of those other dubious exploits, Bitcoin mining and electric vehicles. All this while the grid is being degraded by the Climate-Industrial Complex.

I have heard that the data centers require huge amounts of water to cool off the massive arrays of computers. And we haven’t even discussed the expected rise in unemployment, and the potential for reinforcement of new psy-ops by the Deep State.

If you want a picture of the future, imagine being on the phone, trapped in an automated, never-ending customer service loop—forever. But don’t worry everyone, just go back to your phones, all is well. Disregard everything I said. Copy and paste the title of this post into your search engine, and AI will tell you what to think.