ANALYSIS, INTERPRETATION AND PLANNING FOR THE IMPACT

OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Kragenbrink, Steve
BIS 340: Artificial Intelligence: The Human Side
Bill Erwin
4/16/21

Total Word Count: 3439 words

PART ONE: COURSE PROJECT:
“ANALYSIS, INTERPRETATION, AND PLANNING FOR THE IMPACT OF AI”

What Level of Awareness Exists?

We have made it to the year 2021 and technology has succeeded in making its way into

nearly every aspect of our daily lives. While I cringe to admit it, denying the fact that

humans are becoming more and more reliant…dare I say dependent on technology in

order to make it through each day. From the moment we wake up to reach over to the

nightstand to pick up our cell phones to check our emails, social media, and that last-

minute Amazon purchase that we probably don’t need as badly as we believe…to the

phones sitting on the table next to our meals in anticipation of the next message or

sports score, we spend all day every day connected to the internet in some fashion. I

personally have seen technology grow at an ever-increasing rate of change over the

course of my forty-two years as a technology test subject. I think back to the times when

we had to change the channel by physically changing the actual channel on the tv itself,

my family had a rotary phone with a cord that could stretch half of the distance across

the house, and I can still remember the day that the compact disk, Apple II, and floppy

disks were completely normal. All of this technology is what I consider “dumb” tech,

meaning while it was the cutting edge a few decades ago…nearly all of it currently fits

into the pocket of a pair of jeans in the form of our cell phones.

As technology has advanced, physical components shrunken in physical size, become

more ubiquitous, it is interesting to see how much of our personal data (nearly

everything we do on a daily basis over a 24-hour cycle, 365 days a year is tracked and
collected) is collected with little to no care or notice. This I believe is in part to the fact

that we are all so addicted and reliant on technology and the convenience that it brings

that we are willing to overlook the darker side of its utilization. From my personal

standpoint, I am just as guilty at willingly giving permission to collect my personal data

to big tech companies and collection banks. I never really think about it, about how it is

used, who has access to it, or how it can directly impact my life. A few years ago,

artificial intelligence (AI) was something that seemed so futuristic that it wasn’t

something that I understood as anything besides a novelty…I (along with millions of

“users”) was so very wrong. I knew that my data was being collected but the thought of

computers utilizing deep learning to manipulate my world seemed like something out of

science fiction instead of being closer to reality than actually imagined. The science

fiction of the past…has become reality in so many ways and where it is going is

something that I am both intrigued with and downright terrified by. Are we going to enjoy

prosperity and peace through the continued development of Artificial Intelligence and

computer learning? Will we live in a world of human growth and the expansion of

knowledge and science or will we end up becoming batteries for harvesting by our robot

overlords?

Speaking with friends and colleagues about the general awareness related to Artificial

Intelligence netted me similar results to my own naivety on the subject. It seems that

while many of us rely on and are highly integrated and aware of the presence of

Artificial Intelligence, there is a general lack of understand or concern about how AI

actually works. How machine learning, deep learning, does harvest nearly every action
we take on a daily basis without our knowledgeable consent. Or the fact that our data is

willingly traded for having the ability to show photos of our children, our families, our

selfies, our personal lives on social media without any thought given to who or what is

collecting some of our most personal information. No, I do not think that many people

truly understand this technology because we are so numbed to its presence to begin

with. It is almost a joke to some when you bring up the concept of AI but it is simply

impossible to deny its intrusion (whether nefarious or not is still to be determined) into

our individual worlds.

The Economic/Political Impact of AI

The economic impact of the growing development and implementation of Artificial

Intelligence is currently in a stage of what I call enhancement. Meaning that AI is

already weaving its way into the economy through automation of factories that has and

will continue to cause growing job loss. The automation of manufacturing plants has

already decimated entire cities and counties. Crime and drug use have increased along

with disability payments and mental disorders. The problem is that AI is not simply

automation of repetitive labor, rather, it is a growing reliance on efficiency, convenience,

and consumption. There are numerous positive economic impacts of artificial

intelligence like the ease of making a purchase through our Amazon Alexa or Siri,

ridesharing like Uber and Lyft has revolutionized commuter travel or even the trips to

and from our local pubs. Albeit much to the dismay of the Travis Bickles who if they do

not adapt to the new technology…end up loosing their livelihoods to the 24 hour

services now available through that little tracking device we all carry in our pockets.

Artificial Intelligence has the capability of making everyone’s life better by enhancing the
economy and essentially creating opportunity for more leisure activities…however, in its

current manifestation…artificial intelligence is taking more from the economy than I see

it returning.

Artificial Intelligence is directly impacting the political environment around the world in

numerous ways, and I would argue that most of these intrusions are not in the best

interest of the individual citizens. For starters, AI is creating a modern battlefield

between the global superpowers of the United States and China but it doesn’t stop

there. AI is creating conflict between the major tech companies like Google, Alibaba,

Tencent, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, and Baidu and in turn these companies utilize

enormous amounts of financial capital to impact our political environments by keeping a

finger on the scales whenever it suits their endeavors. The control of information is also

a very significant political impact of AI. The data that is collected on us through our

usage (reliance) on artificial intelligence is already being used to create information

bubbles around us. These bubbles allow for faster sharing of information (not

necessarily accurate information) and limiting our exposure to the truth or to alternative

points of view. We are consuming information as quickly as our information is being

collected and it is all being filtered by Artificial Intelligence. We are experiencing new

threats to our political environment through the use of deep fakes or completely

fabricated visual or auditory clips of politicians, celebrities, and influencers. The lines of

reality are continually skewed through the ongoing facilitation of artificial intelligence and

the ability that those with money and power have to control our personal date and

modify the information we are shown.

The Sociological Impact of AI

Artificial Intelligence is impacting our behaviors, tracking our physical movements, and

engaging directly with our social lives on a daily basis. As I discuss the economic

impacts, the trickle-down effect of rampant job loss as a result of AI insurgency into

many blue and white-collar jobs directly impacts the cities the we live in. Ai is learning

who we are, what we enjoy, and removing the desire for interactions by replacing even

the trip to the grocery store with a conversation with Alexa instead. The ways in which

we go about our daily lives will continue to be impacted and influenced by AI, the

interactions we have with people will become diluted by interactions with AI, even now,

many tech lines and call centers are replacing the human component from their

operations. AI is matching us with the best dates and companions as well through data

analytics and behavior patterns. Self-driving and autonomous vehicles will become the

new normal on our highways as AI revolutionizes the transportation industry. Simply

put, machines…AI, can simply do many jobs and actions better than a human can,

however, there are still areas where humans excel, softer areas that require intuition,

touch, and creativity.

The Psychological Impact of AI

Artificial Intelligence and deep learning have a direct psychological impact on how we

view the world around us along with how we interact with it. As machines learn to

remove variable that negatively impact efficiency, human beings will lose their jobs.

With the loss of jobs, self-worth and self esteem will plummet which in turn can lead to

significant measurable levels of depression and added drug use. Additionally, the
growing reliance of jobless individuals addicted to opiates is growing at an alarming rate

throughout the country. Suicide is increasing in young adults as well, devastating

families and contributing to the negative cycle that begins with widespread and

unbridled advancement and implementation of Artificial Intelligence.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I do not think that there is a general consensus or adequate

understanding about Artificial Intelligence or how our personal data is being collected,

analyzed, sold, manipulated all for the advancement of deep computer learning.

Through my own personal investigation and interviews, I see that the level of basic

knowledge related to Ai is extremely low and I anticipate that this is similar to many

people across the United States, and globally in general. AI and deep computer learning

operates out of sight and mind from the general populace, quietly absorbing more and

more data about us…about human behavior in general. There are many ethical

conversations that we must continue to have in order to create a world that is enhances

through AI instead of controlled and manipulated by it. We must become more

observant and more engaged with how technology is utilized by large tech companies,

foreign governments, and our own government as well. Accountability is vital at this

stage of integration as described by Kai-Fu Lee in his book AI Superpowers China,

Silicon Valley, and the New World Order. Artificial Intelligence has the power and ability

to uplift humanity and create a better world for all of us to exist. Enhancements in

medicine is already changing lives for the better. The issue comes with unchecked and

unregulated unbridled use of personal data to manipulate the world around us. As I
have asked previously, will we decide to utilize the power of Artificial Intelligence to

enhance the world around us for everyone, or will it become an essential control

mechanism of some dystopian (albeit not necessarily fantasy) world of tomorrow?

Optimistically, I believe that with the assistance of AI and the closer relationship of

human and machine, we will see technology advance humanity and build a better future

for us all.
 PART TWO: COURSE PROJECT:
“ANALYSIS, INTERPRETATION, AND PLANNING FOR THE IMPACT OF AI”

Addressing the Economic/Political AI Issues

My Organization Plan

In order to meet the changing dynamic of artificial intelligence at the organizational

level, the first step is to put more effort into training, cross training, and educational

advancement as the organization begins to implement Ai and automation into

production. While Ai is currently overtaking many labor positions, and the company

strives for ever increasing efficiency, the human capital cannot be overlooked. Building

a robust support structure between the organization’s Ai and human interface will mean

that jobs can be made easier, stress levels can be reduced, and providing for the needs

of the individual team members will trickle down to impact the community as a whole. It

is the organization’s responsibility to the community to focus on not only production and

financial gains, but also on how the company exists and supports the community itself.

Maintaining the ability to focus on factual information and making this information

accessible to everyone is key to addressing the political implications of artificial

intelligence. We cannot live our lives within an artificial intelligence created bubble, so

as an organizational leader it is important to create a diverse environment with a culture

based on innovation and learning. We cannot stifle the free movement of ideas and we

must include our team members in how we modify our systems. Seeking the truth is

already one of the hardest aspects of social media.

My Personal Plan

In regards to my personal plan for the implementation of increased levels of artificial

intelligence, it is more of a change of philosophy and learning so that I can better adjust

how I view both artificial intelligence, my own “digital footprint”, and the data that is

collected/willingly released without very much thought or consideration. My response is

to look at the societal impact of artificial intelligence and to utilize the collective ability to

elevate our communities, especially by realizing that the changes that artificial

intelligence will create…have already begun. I believe that the first step is to gain a

better understanding of Artificial Intelligence, through my research, I have discovered

that there is a general lack of knowledge about not only AI…but how advanced AI is

along with how quickly AI is growing through deep learning. When discussing AI with

colleagues and friends who come from a broad range of social segments, I found an

alarming lack of knowledge on the subject, or a very close-minded view – meaning that

while some might already see an increased level of AI intrusion into their careers or

jobs…they still do not fully understand how the AI intrusion is also impacting sectors

and people outside of their own bubbles. In other words, it is the interconnectedness

that is being impacted as well, not just the individual job or task.

Addressing the Sociological AI Issues

My Organization Plan

Education about how artificial intelligence is growing within the workplace and actively

working within the organization to increase the level of awareness, and reliance, should

be a significant task. Harnessing the power of AI and utilizing to increase efficiency and
also productivity can be a challenge, but I think that we are at a stage where educating

team members about artificial intelligence and focusing efforts on training will alleviate

some (not all) of the problems created by increased automation, artificial intelligence,

and how our physical and social worlds are being tracked, manipulated, created, and

experienced with the help of artificial intelligence.

Placing more emphasis on interpersonal engagements and quality time will be essential

to meeting the sociological needs of employees and organizations as a whole.

Interconnectedness and the communal closeness are human nature. In order to

mitigate the sociological changes associated with increasing reliance of artificial

intelligence, we must inspire our teams to forge relationships with one another, to learn

from one another, and to engage in quality dialog.

My Personal Plan

My personal plan is to continue to gain more understanding about artificial intelligence,

and to manage how I interface within the world created by artificial intelligence. One of

the easiest ways that I see is to focus more on the interpersonal skills, communication,

and closeness with people. I do not see the solution in addressing the sociological

impacts of artificial intelligence in avoidance or confronting artificial intelligence, rather

this is an area where I believe that we as humans can excel. While being able to

replicate our voice and communication, a machine does not have the capacity of human

care human touch. Therefore, a focus on the arts and on creativity is an area that many
of us can actively work to build our sociological contracts, our relationships, and the

impact that we have on the world around us. While artificial intelligence will continue to

automate some professions, this will also create the need for more direct care related

jobs. The humanities, while currently seeing a dramatic decline in student enrollments

across universities, should see a resurgence when human capital is placed above

financial gains.

Addressing the Psychological AI Issues

My Organization Plan

As an organization, the investment needs to be made in human capital in order to met

the growing psychological issues associated with the increased prevalence of AI both

currently…and the ongoing implementation of AI as we increase our reliance upon it.

Focusing on how to create buoyancy not only for our organization but for our community

as a whole will be paramount. It is the responsibility of business to integrate with people

on the individual level and at times, realize that the profit margins associated with

artificial intelligence can create devasting costs on the human side. The plan must

include ways to elevate the individual through the use of artificial intelligence rather than

simply replace the individual, creating self-worth and establishing a community

programs to benefit one another instead of the corporate net worth. I suggest that the

organization focus on providing the means for more community engagement in order to

pivot from the negative aspect of job loss. This needs to be paired with the increase in

training opportunities so that those who see their jobs replaced, can also be supported

through vocational training programs that will continue to utilize their skills.
My Personal Plan

From a personal viewpoint, I will continue to learn how the power and benefits of

artificial intelligence can be harnessed and utilized to better my own human condition. In

order to maintain my own psychological state, I think that the first step is to recognize

how reliant I have become on artificial intelligence through my cell phone,

laptop/internet, and how the algorithms created by my digital footprint play a significant

role in shaping my own world view. Being able to identify this and to make the effort to

detach myself from becoming entirely reliant on not only my job or career, but realizing

where I place my own values impact not only my own views, it will have an impact on

those of my children as well.

Recognizing how much of our lives are intertwined with artificial intelligence, and

maintaining a conceptual understanding of what is to come in the very near future is

something that all of us need to strive for.

Conclusion

It is absolutely clear to me that artificial intelligence has permeated a vast majority of the

world in which we currently live in. Additionally, I agree with the information presented

by Andrew Yang and Kai Fu Lee in regards to how the growing level of artificial

intelligence and computer deep learning is rapidly delivering a new tech revolution,

much like the industrial revolution. However, the focus is not on job creation but rather

on efficiency and corporate financial growth. There must be involvement from all levels

of society in order to harness the positive aspects of artificial intelligence while

mitigating the intrinsic negative components. I truly believe that this will be one of the

greatest challenges of our time due to the fact that there are very real and very

dangerous ethical conversations and commitments needed. Computer learning has

already outpaced that of human learning, and while automation has real disruptive

impact on jobs, this also creates a unique opportunity to focus more on the human skills

rather than the task-based skills associated with the previous century. I believe that

when given the chance, humans have the ability to create a better world through the

use of artificial intelligence.

As we experience the expansion of artificial intelligence into all facets of our lives, the

idea of creating a universal basic income paired with a social credit system makes more

and more sense. I admit that I am a skeptic and do not believe in large, over reaching

government involvement in our daily lives…however, if artificial intelligence is going to

cause as much economic displacement as we have learned in this course, then a

compelling case is made to utilize the power of AI to increase the standard of living for

all. Creating access to medical care that would otherwise be consolidated in large urban

areas should be reason enough to utilize artificial intelligence for good.

We are at a very unique stage in the development of artificial intelligence, and as the

readings have suggested, we are at an important part of our human history. We have

the ability to utilize artificial intelligence and machine learning to better our quality of life,

uplift the marginalized members of our communities, and further shrink the distance

between peoples. Merging and experiencing cultures while diversifying our reality. While
there are legitimate concerns about the ethics and power of artificial intelligence, along

with the capital components of data (and who controls it), if we continue to embrace a

learning attitude while working to modify how we view work, life, and humanity, we can

successfully merge the human and machine interface.