If AI thinks for us, democracy will suffer
CHICAGO — Sometime in the 18th century, the Enlightenment settled a contentious, centuries-old question: Where does knowledge come from? For millennia, many people had pointed to God. But the early modern period brought a new consensus, namely that knowledge comes from human scientists working at the edge of what is known, armed with observation, mathematics, experimentation, and logic. As the…
In a world where artificial intelligence continues to advance at an unprecedented pace, concerns are growing about the potential impact on democracy. The Enlightenment, which took place in the 18th century, marked a turning point in human history by asserting that knowledge is derived from human scientists utilizing observation, mathematics, experimentation, and logic.
This intellectual revolution transformed our shared value system, emphasizing the virtues of research and rigor, and instilled a sense of accountability in our institutions. Democracy, as the epitome of popular sovereignty, embodies this paradigm shift. It posits that individuals have the capacity to analyze candidates and policies independently, reaching informed conclusions.
However, a new era is dawning. In September, OpenAI's advanced models demonstrated remarkable capabilities by swiftly resolving a complex mathematical conundrum that had perplexed researchers for decades. As artificial intelligence continues to evolve and surpass human expertise in various domains, the question arises: Will the democratization of knowledge and decision-making be compromised?
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- If AI thinks for us, democracy will suffer koreatimes.co.kr