With how quickly AI software is evolving, faster than we can keep up with, we are in need of proper conversations to help us come to terms with the new world we live in.
AI is progressing faster than we can make sense of and farther than we can imagine. What was only a dream yesterday is a reality today, and will be obsolete tomorrow.
Whoever said this was right: the future is here, but it is not evenly distributed. Those in the Bay Area are living decades ahead of those in Mexico and even Nebraska. Just as those in Southeast Asia are just coming to grips with ChatGPT, the technology is already lightyears ahead.
But I want to observe how we are experiencing this psychologically. This AI revolution is yet another major transition and shake up of the world as we know it, and we should process it as such.
You know that feeling of stumbling forward where your legs are just barely keeping up, and you find yourself running and falling at the same time?
That's what the field of AI feels like right now.
On the one hand, I'm super excited to incorporate these tools into my workflow because the space between what's in my head and reality is shrinking. On the other hand, it feels like we are leaving something behind faster than we can process.
Just like how the COVID-era called for us to take a moment to come to terms with how life has changed, so I believe this dawn of mainstream AI will require the same.
During COVID, people were stressed, scared, and angry. Psychologically, we had lost things great and small. From the vacations we were looking forward to, to the loss of a loved one. The world changed overnight, and it took us the better part of two years to grieve that unexpected transition.
The spread of AI isn't the same as that of COVID, but for those who are observing this change either at the epicenter or from the sidelines, depending on their personal disposition, they may be experiencing similar reactions of stress, fear, and indignation.
Those with high levels of Openness (one of the Big 5 personality attributes) would be among those who readily and eagerly adopt the new technology as it becomes reality. They are open to new experiences and exploration.
Those with low Openness or high Conscientiousness, however (and especially those with high Neuroticism), would be on the other end of the spectrum, more wary of change and disruption.
From this perspective, the sense of loss amidst this revolution would be more acutely felt. But loss of what?
Those who have trained to create and appreciate the fine arts tend to see AI-generated art as "desacralizing." Those who have spent years as professional writers, web designers, or consultants may start to feel obsolete, whether or not that is actually the case.
Again, there is likely a disconnect between reality and our perception of reality. So we must understand the visceral reaction and fear of some should be treated not as delusions but as a natural response to a speed of change we homo sapiens are not built for.
I don't believe Silicon Valley should slow down (although they better have the good sense to proceed with caution). And I do think there would be much good in spreading the advancement of technology more evenly across the world (although the negative side effects are yet to be understood).
Society needs to undergo a collective therapy session. Not geared towards expressing emotions (because God knows we don't need help doing that), but for crafting a new picture of the world and how we should move forward.
I am simultaneously excited and nervous to see what the world will look like 5 years from now. But as long as we continue to hold space for one another, take one another seriously with all our hopes and fears, and guide our advancements with the primary goal of the good of humanity, I think we will be just fine.
– Nathanael
Multi-passionate creative and cultural philosopher. I love talking psychology, culture, education, and anything else that deals with living as better people.