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No Off Switch for Artificial Intelligence? The Week in Editorial Cartoons, Part 1 [1]

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Date: 2023-05-07

Unleashing change, unable to control the monster. Will it destroy us?

Link to Part 2 of this diary — What's the Matter With Texas? — The Week in Editorial Cartoons, Part 2 Part 1 has some commentary from me about the future of artificial intelligence (AI), historical analogy about Luddites in the early 19th century, and whether AI will be beneficial to us or prove to be disastrous. Lots of wonderful editorial cartoons and informative Tweets about AI, the War in Sudan, and singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot, who passed away a few days ago. Part 2 of this diary is now up and focusses exclusively on senseless mass shootings and the proliferation of guns in this country. To a large degree, we have become desensitized to the prevalent gun culture and almost daily news of mass shootings. No one seems to be able to do anything meaningful which might prevent this recurring travesty. One can reprint articles printed the week or month before and all sentiments expressed would be valid and applicable to today’s or yesterday’s horrific event. What kind of a country are we leaving for the next generation? Many thanks for your support.

Saying Goodbye to Modern Life

Are We Afraid of New Technology?

Developments in technology frequently come at lightning speed, one that the current political system frequently has difficulty adapting to. Given the natural human resistance to change — and a life-long pursuit by many of us of two rather elusive goals, predictability and stability in our lives — makes this transition difficult and a deep dive into the unknown.

In an era long past, fear of machines making humans redundant in the early stages of the Industrial Revolution — at a time when worker’s rights were minimal, workplace safety guarantees non-existent, and labor unions unheard of — gave rise in the early 19th century to the often-misunderstood group called the Luddites in the UK. They weren’t necessarily opposed to the idea of progress and the introduction of new technology, but, rather, only wanted technological change to preserve their livelihood and offer some control over their way of life.

What the Luddites Really Fought Against The label now has many meanings, but when the group protested 200 years ago, technology wasn’t really the enemy Despite their modern reputation, the original Luddites were neither opposed to technology nor inept at using it. Many were highly skilled machine operators in the textile industry. Nor was the technology they attacked particularly new. Moreover, the idea of smashing machines as a form of industrial protest did not begin or end with them. In truth, the secret of their enduring reputation depends less on what they did than on the name under which they did it. You could say they were good at branding... As the Industrial Revolution began, workers naturally worried about being displaced by increasingly efficient machines. But the Luddites themselves “were totally fine with machines,” says Kevin Binfield, editor of the 2004 collection Writings of the Luddites. They confined their attacks to manufacturers who used machines in what they called “a fraudulent and deceitful manner” to get around standard labor practices. “They just wanted machines that made high-quality goods,” says Binfield, “and they wanted these machines to be run by workers who had gone through an apprenticeship and got paid decent wages. Those were their only concerns.” x English folk-hero Ned Ludd was the fictional leader of the Luddites. He was supposedly based on Edward Ludlam who broke two stocking frames in a fit of pique. The Luddite movement took on this method of protest to highlight unfair labour laws. #FolkloreThursday pic.twitter.com/yN1W6pdoPi — Claire Cock-Starkey (@NonFictioness) June 28, 2018

This time it is no different, for the relevant concerns are the same as in the days of Ned Ludd. Obviously, the nature of technology and the pace of change is very different from the early 19th century. This new technology will probably permeate and affect every facet of our modern, complex lives.

Dr. Max Tegmark, a professor at the Massachussetts Institute of Technology and one of the world’s foremost experts in arificial intelligence offers a sobering review in this interview — Will Artificial Intelligence Destroy Us or Set Us Free?

x We made this #AI video explaining the 3 main narratives to help you make up your own mind: (1) it's overhyped, (2) it's a big deal but will be fine, (3) risks are real. https://t.co/fd02r8L2GG — Max Tegmark (@tegmark) April 27, 2023

Should we be a bit skeptical of the benefits of AI as being pushed by pro-establishment types? Can politics keep up with technology? Will the political benefits of AI outweigh the potential threats that it poses? It also begs the age-old question of fairness and equity: who will be the bigger beneficiary of artificial intelligence, capital or labor?

It remains to be seen, for few people seem to have definitive answers as we enter this brave new world.

Biden Races to Come Up with AI Plan “President Biden, racing to upgrade the government’s artificial-intelligence expertise and role, is calling the leading architects of generative AI to Washington today to discuss guardrails for the powerful technology,” Axios reports. “The U.S. has almost no AI-specific regulations on the books. The European Union is plowing ahead with a wide-ranging AI act.” The AI political campaign is here President Barack Obama’s 2008 election campaign has often been celebrated as the first to effectively use social media as a mobilization tool to capture the White House. In the 15 years since, the technology has gone from being a novel addition to a political campaign to transcending every aspect of one. Now, a transformative and largely untested technology looks set to revolutionize political campaigning: artificial intelligence. But the computer-generated content, which blurs the line between fact and fiction, is raising concerns ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

Attribution for the above cartoon: Matt Davies @MattDavies

The World’s Leading Authority On… Something

x Portending pic.twitter.com/LYtHmf24C0 — Marty Two Bulls Sr. (@M2Bulls) May 3, 2023

An Early Victim of Artificial Intelligence

x 60 years ago, Tom was the first one to lose his job to Artificial Intelligence (AI) 😅 pic.twitter.com/1pnEHsVAc7 — Aman (@Aman73571877) May 3, 2023

Meet Chloe

x the first artificial woman made by China had been launched into the world.. the body is flesh and has a functional brain with artificial intelligence.🫣 pic.twitter.com/7jjqxwZxSs — 🅰️Altruistic®️ (@MAdugaaji) May 2, 2023

If This is the Future… Ugh!

x AI and the future of work - © Chappatte in Le Temps, Geneva > https://t.co/lerhx0pp7i pic.twitter.com/O4baROndCV — Chappatte Cartoons (@PatChappatte) May 2, 2023

Role Reversal

Take a Break

x Can artificial intelligence be stopped? - © Chappatte in Le Canard Enchaîné, France > https://t.co/ZmnoJ67mej pic.twitter.com/oT00yOrqvN — Chappatte Cartoons (@PatChappatte) April 21, 2023

The Godfather of Artificial Intelligence Quits Google

x British researcher and academic Geoffrey Hinton, who is often referred to as one of the godfathers of artificial intelligence, has ended his nearly decade-long association with Google to independently warn against the dangers of further developing AI without analysing its impact.… pic.twitter.com/ipsNAacWDD — The Tatva (@thetatvaindia) May 3, 2023

Who Will Tame AI?

x

“I Feel Your Pain”

Guess Who’ll Suffer the Most — Thank You, Trickle-Up Economics

x In 1970 the American middle class received 62% of the country’s aggregate income; today it’s 42%. The top 1% now owns 32% of our nation’s wealth, and the bottom 50% owns 3%. America has never been so disdainful of its workers. pic.twitter.com/IDMY5IQvgS — Scott Galloway (@profgalloway) May 1, 2023

Falling Behind

The AI political campaign is here

x The A.I. election is here.



We showed that RNC deepfake ad to some people on the streets of Washington DC to see if they could tell it was fake.



Produced by @YahyaGhazala pic.twitter.com/2bM68w4PjE — Donie O'Sullivan (@donie) May 3, 2023

Sowing the Seeds of One’s Own Destruction

x Technology can be our salvation or our greatest downfall (we must use it wisely)... @TheBuffaloNews #ai https://t.co/sKMU0EVJ59 pic.twitter.com/m8JxXfl7LL — Adam Zyglis (@adamzyglis) May 3, 2023

An AI-Generated Image of Trump

x Nothing says supporting your candidate of choice like stolen valor…especially when that candidate was a draft dodger. https://t.co/Wkq5mdDM5U — Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) May 2, 2023

AI: The Real Replacement Threat?

The New Writing Team

Layoffs Have Started

x It has begun ... ⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️



Artificial Intelligence is already being cited as a reason for layoffs. pic.twitter.com/VYJBYjO9fI — Wall Street Silver (@WallStreetSilv) April 28, 2023

Should We Be Concerned?

x Artificial Intelligence could end civilisation.



Says Professor who wrote the text book on AI: pic.twitter.com/mDFgV6hY1r — Double Down News (@DoubleDownNews) May 2, 2023

War is Raging in Sudan

What is the End Game?

Evacuation

Mad Max is Alive

x Real Life Mad Max In #Sudan pic.twitter.com/oQxiGxRmzm — Iran Observer (@Iranobserver01) April 28, 2023

Tearing the Country Apart

RIP, Gordon Lightfoot

Gordon Lightfoot, Folk Singer Who Topped Charts With ‘Sundown’ and ‘If You Could Read My Mind’, Dies at 84 Singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot, the Canadian folk music laureate who crossed over to major pop fame in the U.S. during the ‘70s, died of natural causes on Monday evening at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto. He was 84 years old… Lightfoot rose to prominence in the mid-‘60s, penning such folk standards as “Early Morning Rain” (a major hit for the Canadian folk duo Ian and Sylvia Tyson), “For Loving Me” and “Ribbon of Darkness,” as well as the ambitious “Canadian Railroad Trilogy,” a sort of Northern equivalent to Mickey Newbury’s “American Trilogy.” While he was acclaimed at home and served as an inspiration for such younger Canada-bred performers as Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, success in America eluded him until he signed with Warner Bros. x “I can’t think of any Gordon Lightfoot song I don’t like. Every time I hear a song of his, it’s like I wish it would last forever.” - Bob Dylan pic.twitter.com/MOtJFYwIIp — Eric Alper 🎧 (@ThatEricAlper) May 2, 2023

Tribute to a Great Singer-Songwriter

x Aislin Thursday #MontrealGazette cartoon on the passing of #GordonLightfoot and one of my favourite songs ever, #InTheEarlyMorningRain… pic.twitter.com/yD0rECFOnT — Terry Mosher (@TerryMosher1) May 2, 2023

What He Did Best

“If You Could Read My Mind…”

x If you could read my mind... pic.twitter.com/4ThZzoO7Er — Editorial & Political Cartoons (@EandPCartoons) May 2, 2023

The Pride of Ontario, Canada

x Gordon Lightfoot cartoon by Mackay in Waterloo Region Record and other Torstar papers - 3 May 2023. pic.twitter.com/vHt0J0Upa9 — Terry Polevoy, MD (@TerryPolevoy) May 3, 2023

Diary Poll

Technical gibberish and forecasts of future nirvana, doom, or gloom aside, let’s hear one last word about artificial intelligence from another expert of sorts.

Remember to take the poll. Thanks.

x IMHO, @SnoopDogg now captures the magnitude of what's happening in #AI better than most tech pundits with their financial conflicts of interest – and most policymakers and corporate lobbyists... https://t.co/f7z8RfLqKB — Max Tegmark (@tegmark) May 4, 2023

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