Don’t Believe the Hype: Artificial General Intelligence Isn’t What Billionaires Say It Is

The hype surrounding artificial intelligence is dangerously inflated according to authors Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna in their upcoming book. They argue that the pursuit of artificial general intelligence (AGI) often lacks clarity and serves corporate interests rather than the public good. Through various examples, they’ve shown that sensational claims tend to distract from deeper ethical issues while fueling the financial interests of tech leaders.

Artificial intelligence hype is spiraling, with its faulty claims pushing the boundaries of credibility. Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna, authors of the upcoming book “The AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech’s Hype and Create the Future We Want,” assert that AI is seen less as a transformative technology and more as a profitable venture for big tech companies. It’s hard to separate the truth from the self-serving narratives pumping out from major enterprise players

The duo dives into the concept of artificial general intelligence (AGI) — a term often thrown around like confetti among tech executives and researchers. Yet, their take suggests that the realities and definitions of AGI are often vague, fostering an environment ripe for inflated claims. The authors argue that the fascination with machines achieving superhuman intelligence functions as fuel for corporate hype machinery.

When major tech figures nurture the idea of us nearing a robot uprising, it raises eyebrows. A notable incident occurred in early 2022 when OpenAI’s Chief Scientist Ilya Sutskever speculated, via Twitter, that current neural networks might possess a hint of consciousness.

Then there was Blake Lemoine, a Google engineer who thought that LaMDA, a language model developed by the company, had sentience. Lemoine’s firing sparked conversations about AI consciousness, but rather than addressing his claims, company executives largely disregarded them, playing up the controversy instead.

Fast forward to April 2023, and a Microsoft Research team published a paper, “Sparks of Artificial General Intelligence: Early Experiments with GPT-4.” They claimed that the model showed signs of AGI by tackling diverse and complex tasks. However, the very notion of “sparks” draws attention to how easily sensationalized narratives can start — sparking interest, perhaps, but not clarity or accountability.

Importantly, the concept of general intelligence itself remains under-defined. As the business aims toward constructing AGI threaten to snowball, the authors identify deep-seated issues within the project. These are not merely academic pursuits anymore; significant financial backing from venture capitalists fills the infrastructure behind this quest.

Yes, some venture capitalists are jumping on the AGI bandwagon more out of fashion than belief, while others genuinely hold the conviction that AGI is the next big feat. But the intersection of financial interests with a technocratic vision echoing troubling political ideologies raises critical red flags. Billionaires backing such ideas often weave a narrative that further promotes inequality and elitism under the guise of technological advancement.

The fascination with “superintelligence” often clouds judgment among those in the AI world. Why claim sentience, one might wonder? The answer often circles back to marketing — a tactic to engage consumers while more lofty promises of consciousness and sentience keep the funding flowing. The reality is a tangled web of ambitions wrapped in sensationalism, money, and marketing strategies.

The revealing issue here is how these narratives manipulate the larger public. As fears of job losses circulate due to AI advancements, we must critically evaluate the roots and ramifications of the tech stories being sold to us. It’s essential to recognize and challenge the structures of power and control at play behind the AI hype.

In a nutshell, Bender and Hanna’s message rings clear and true: There’s an urgent need to cut through the buzz surrounding AI and AGI, questioning not just the narratives presented but also the motivations behind them. As the technology evolves, we must remain wary of who’s telling the stories — and what they really stand to gain from it all.

The landscape of artificial intelligence is ripe with inflated claims and corporate agendas, overshadowing the genuine implications of technology. Bender and Hanna’s critique sheds light on the vagueness surrounding AGI and the troubling influences pushing these narratives. As we navigate this hype, it’s paramount to recognize the underlying motivations driving the engagements, especially when they may negatively impact jobs and social structures. Ultimately, a more discerning view of AI claims allows for more informed and responsible engagement with its rapidly evolving nature.

Original Source: www.livescience.com