Seriously, I don’t believe AI can solve ALL our problems. However, it does have the potential to greatly increase productivity. Why don’t we have a religion worshiping AI? We have so many religions worshiping different gods and entities. I’m not talking about a fictitious religion worshiping anime characters. I mean a significant group of rational people who truly believe AI can make the world a better place. They would ignore every 'AI destroys humanity' movie and actively support pro-AI regulations.
I have been tracking AI lawmaking in the US, EU, and China for a year. I’d say the primary reason politics haven't completely banned AI is due to the fear of other countries developing superior AI and gaining a competitive advantage. No one wants to miss the next technological revolution. Moreover, both capitalist and socialist systems appreciate AI. Big companies can save billions by replacing human workers with AI. Countries with high taxes and high welfare can use AI to prevent industry hollowing.
Politicians also want to implement stricter AI regulations to appease voters who fear losing their jobs to AI. Do you know how many jobs are outsourced to China and India every year? What’s the difference between giving your job to AI and outsourcing it to a worker in a developing country? Even more ridiculously, despite having cheap labor, China and India are heavily investing in AI to eventually replace their workforce. Anyone in Western countries concerned about work-life balance can't compete with that. For instance, in the documentary 'American Factory' (2019), a company was given free land, cheap utilities, and tax benefits to hire local workers and reduce unemployment rates. Notice how pleased the old boss was when informed that several workers could be replaced by new robots. This shift is inevitable.
The progress may be painful. If there's an AI religion with a group of committed citizens voting for every pro-AI law, protesting against any AI bans, and investing resources into AI, this could accelerate the process. None of them need to understand the details of machine learning, but they could embrace the bigger picture: AI can help society eliminate unnecessary jobs. Have faith.
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