OPINION:
Fear — more than any other emotion — motivates. It is inherent in us all to fear the worst or the unknown.
Some of the most memorable public fears in recent memory are acid rain, Y2K, rising seas, and COVID-19. The media, always looking for drama to boost ratings, endlessly speculated about the end of civilization as we know it.
Fear is a tool used to control us. To paraphrase Rahm Emanuel, never let a good crisis go to waste — or, in the case of artificial intelligence, never let the fear of a potential crisis go to waste.
Our AI industry leaders are saying that what they produce could be the end of mankind, warning that the government should step in to save civilization from them. Big-government Democrats, always ready to pretend that they can protect us from all threats, agree.
The reality is that AI Industry leaders see an opportunity to place any future liability from AI, should it run amok, at the feet of the government. Democrats see an opportunity to disingenuously control what they know they can’t.
All the while, China gains AI dominance. Let’s try not to stampede to that end.
CHARLES EARY
Ocean City, Maryland
Please read our comment policy before commenting.