Once upon a time, computerization of workplaces was a matter of fear and uncertainty. There were protests against it and a general fear of layoffs and computers taking over human jobs, which could lead to unemployment. Then, people somehow got over the initial fear and slowly learnt to accept computers and their advantages, helping make work easier in a lot of ways. And in adapting themselves to a world with computers, they learnt to manage a world of computers, where they could still work in the same fields and pretty much the same profiles, although the way of working changed with the use of computers. Decades later, employees and computers coexist harmoniously, one not challenging or threatening the other.
I wish I could say that the progress of AI would have a similar outcome, decades from now. But honestly, I don’t know. I am probably standing in the shoes of those who were sceptical of computers years back, looking at AI with fear and apprehension as a threat to my work and career. Or maybe, just like computers, it might just help me and many others work better in a more efficient manner – that is definitely some wishful thinking right there. Although, the words “This could easily be done by AI in a few years. So we are not really hiring more people for it” when someone applies for a job that they are amazing at do not inspire much confidence in me.
The other day, I was talking to a friend of mine who works in the same field as me, language editing, about how we both love our jobs and how it would be a shame if we were someday replaced by AI. I mean, as of now, from whatever AI tools I have seen for my job, human intervention is a must. But who knows? A few years down the lane, that could and would be different. We kept lamenting jokingly about how there aren’t many people who claim to really “love” their job, and how those few would definitely be among the ones who lose their jobs to AI, while knowing very well that it might end up not being a joke someday. However, for now, all we can do is cross our fingers and wish that more efficient work with AI wouldn’t mean kicking out people who are good at their jobs.
Anyway, whether AI would cost people their jobs or not is not really what I want to write about today… although, my three-paragraph-long introduction (I’m sorry!) would make you think so. It’s the scary world of AI-generated whatnot that, in addition to costing people their jobs, is a mockery of genuine talent while, at the same time, has become a danger and insult in many ways. A beautiful sketch you see, a beautiful song you hear, a beautiful article or poem you read – it could all be the work of AI, the credit of which is taken by a shameless person who “knows how to use AI well.” And then, there would be someone who actually sketches beautifully, someone who composes a wonderful piece and sings beautifully, someone who writes in a way that touches your heart – whose work and talent are now considered valueless compared to that “generated” by any Tom, Dick, and Harry with no talent whatsoever other than giving the perfect prompts to AI.
And the biggest insult, and danger, for that matter, is the AI generation of deepfake photos and videos. When the movie Indian 2 came out, the “come-back” of late veteran actor Nedumudi Venu’s character by AI generation was a huge point of talk, with most people saying “Wow!” to it. I remember having a full-blown debate with a couple of my friends about the ethics, or the lack of it, involved in it. My friends were adamant that this was a way of respecting Nedumudi Venu’s legacy, and if his family was okay with it, no one else should have an issue with it. My point was simple – one’s legacy is about what one has done till their death. Whether one is remembered for the good or bad in their life is what matters. You can’t try to add on to that legacy using AI generation after their death.
In this case, my question was very simple: what if Nedumudi Venu was alive and approached for the movie and refused to do the movie (which he would have, considering the cringe-worthy script)? By taking his family’s permission and making him part of a movie without his explicit consent, weren’t they disrespecting the dead? You can’t just make decisions for the dead and call it “honouring legacy.” I saw the same being done with the late legends, SP Balasubrahmanyam, whose son sent a legal notice to those who recreated SPB’s voice with AI, and Robin Williams, whose daughter bashed those creating AI-generated videos of his and send them to her as if they are honouring their dad, when, in reality, they are just insulting a dead person with this shitty move.
And with the advance in deepfake photos and videos so rapid, I don’t know what guarantee we have anymore in photos and videos used as evidence in legal procedures. There could be two consequences, both of which are equally bad, which could be far-fetched paranoid thoughts, I admit. 1) Someone is actually the culprit, and there is photo/video evidence of it, but the lawyer is able to prove that it is fabricated evidence, owing to the extremely high number of such AI-generated photos/videos, and the culprit walks out free. 2) An innocent person goes to jail only because a fabricated photo/video implicating him is proven to be real because you can no longer tell fake and real apart, thanks to the perfection that is now part of AI generation.
Being the overthinker that I am, it makes me go to very dark places sometimes – worrying about how morphed photos and videos can be taken for real without even an ounce of doubt now, and if my girls, growing up in a dark, ugly world, would find themselves faced with something like that. To be honest, the way people can use AI without any restriction or consequence in today’s world scares me so much that I guess I am on damage control mode already for when my girls are a little grown. I have age-appropriate talks with them about evils like that in the world, explaining how something like that is never to be thought of as something that strips us off our dignity or something that is an “end of the world” sort of disaster to die for, but something to be reported, fought, and then dusted off our minds.
I just hope that what is now a fad doesn’t go horribly out of hand (if it already hasn’t) and stringent rules and restrictions regarding the use of AI helps put an end to its sickening misuse. For starters, can we please stop bringing people back from the dead for entertainment and let them rest in peace? And maybe, rethink those AI prompts and have a tiny bit of shame in accepting compliments for a talent that you don’t have?
Also published on Medium.
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