Editorial
The Gist
- Historical parallels. Generative AI mirrors historical innovations, revealing how new technologies or entities can transform human society.
Ethical considerations. Generative AI’s rapid adoption highlights the need for robust ethical frameworks and oversight, similar to the checks required for bureaucracies and political systems.
Evolutionary impact. Understanding generative AI’s impact requires a historical perspective, comparing it to previous forms of artificial intelligence and their influence on human progress.
Generative AI is being hailed as a groundbreaking technology, a force of creation that can generate text, images and even music — and doing so by passing the Turing test with flying colors! And for once, notwithstanding the naysayers and those who seem to have built a niche pointing out the mistakes of generative AI systems, the hype seems justified.
What took place with the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022 is nothing short of epochal. In fact, so epochal that we have yet to understand just how deep and wide the impact will be on how we live, think and create.
The innovation has been so impactful and has been adopted so rapidly that it seems as if generative AI has suddenly arrived almost deus ex machina style, sent to fundamentally revolutionize our world and reality. In fact, it seems that what we are seeing is so new, so radically different from what we have seen so far, that it is almost impossible to apply any of the lessons that we have learned from the past. Fear, loathing and intellectual perplexity stand side by side with bedazzlement and delight at the power this new technology is affording us.
Yet the truth is that generative AI in many fundamental ways is not so new after all.
Generative AI: A Historical Perspective
Human beings have always created different forms of artificial intelligence. These are powerful entities that, once brought into existence, acquire a momentum of their own. For example, empires, governments, bureaucracies and constitutions are all examples of purely artificial intelligences that were created by mortal humans and that developed a power beyond the control of their creators.
These forms of intelligence share in common. They all begin with a human intent, a desire to create order, provide structure or drive progress forward. Yet, over time, they all have taken on an autonomous, extra-human existence — often with catastrophic results.
A bureaucracy, for instance, starts as a system to manage resources efficiently, but then almost always becomes a behemoth that bogs down progress with red tape. It can obstruct justice with rigid rules, and it not infrequently endangers the lives of people with a stubborn refusal to adapt to changing conditions.
Similarly, governments, created to represent and protect citizens, can evolve into authoritarian regimes. Political parties, originally platforms for collective decision-making, can devolve into entities that place their own survival above the welfare of the people they were designed to serve.
These entities, like generative AI, are artificial intelligences in the sense that they were conceived, constructed and launched by human minds. Yet, once set into motion, they have often operated under their own logic and priorities.
An empire, for example, often begins with the putative goal of uniting diverse peoples under a single administration to ensure peace and prosperity. Over time, however, the empire's own need for expansion, resource extraction and control leads to exploitation, oppression and eventual collapse. The Roman Empire is a perfect example. What began as a republic intent on safeguarding its citizens eventually transformed into a sprawling empire whose very size and complexity made it ungovernable.
Similarly, a constitution — arguably one of the most advanced forms of artificial intelligence — lays down rules meant to safeguard freedoms and provide justice. However, the very rigidity of its laws can make it an inflexible force, unable to adapt to changing circumstances. In the United States, for example, the Constitution is both a beacon of democracy and a source of bitter contention. Its interpretation is often manipulated by those in power to serve specific agendas, sometimes at the cost of justice or progress.
These examples demonstrate that the concept of creating powerful entities that escape human control is not new. In this context, generative AI is simply the latest in a long line of artificial intelligences that human beings have birthed. And like all its predecessors, it carries the potential for both great benefit and grave danger.
Related Article: Generative AI Timeline: 9 Decades of Notable MilestonesManaging the Risks of Generative AI
The real question is not whether we should fear generative AI, but how we should fear it. Fear is not inherently negative. It is a tool for survival. When we recognize a danger, we take measures to mitigate it. The fear we feel toward generative AI should be the same rational fear that we have for a runaway bureaucracy, an overreaching government or an aggressive political party. This fear is not paralyzing but instructive. It compels us to learn from history and apply those lessons to our current circumstances.
Consider the lessons of history. When faced with a runaway bureaucracy, the solution often involves transparency, oversight and accountability. Systems that become too opaque, too insular or too removed from public scrutiny tend to grow unchecked and out of control. Therefore, generative AI should not be developed behind closed doors by a select few. It should be subject to public scrutiny, regulatory oversight and ethical guidelines that ensure it serves the public good rather than narrow, private interests.
Similarly, when governments become authoritarian, they often do so because they face no meaningful checks on their power. This is why we have built democratic institutions that limit terms, distribute power across branches and provide avenues for dissent and redress. Generative AI must also be subjected to checks and balances — both technological and ethical. We need systems that monitor AI behaviors, intervene when necessary and provide clear consequences for misuse.
Finally, political parties that place their own survival above the welfare of the people often do so because they have forgotten their purpose. They become ends in themselves rather than means to an end. Generative AI, too, must always be viewed as a tool — a means to achieve specific goals, like advancing medical research or enhancing education — not as an end in itself. We must remain vigilant in asking what purpose this technology serves and who benefits from its use.
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None of this means that we should not innovate, nor does it mean that we should halt the development of generative AI. On the contrary, innovation is vital, and technological advancement can bring enormous benefits. But history teaches us that we must approach any new form of artificial intelligence with caution, humility and a clear-eyed recognition of its potential dangers.
Related Article: Ethical AI in Practice: Shaping a Better FutureGenerative AI's Lasting Impact
Generative AI is nothing new in the grand scheme of human history, but that does not make it any less significant. Just as we have learned to fear the runaway empire, the unaccountable government and the self-serving political party, so too must we learn to fear the unchecked growth of generative AI. This fear should drive us to establish robust frameworks that govern its use, ensure its accountability and keep it aligned with the values and needs of the people it is intended to serve.
The lesson is clear. The creation of powerful entities — whether empires, governments or generative AI tools — is always a risky endeavor. But by recognizing these risks and drawing on the lessons of history, we can navigate this new landscape with greater wisdom and foresight, avoiding the disasters that have so often befallen civilizations in the past.
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