AI - ARTIFICIAL ILLUSION

Today’s message is a continuation of the previous talk about Illusions and Delusions and our need to understand that perception is not reality. AN OPTICAL DELUSION — Benton T. Thompson III

Many of us are familiar with Artificial Intelligence referred to as AI, but AI is also an Artificial Illusion and potentially a dangerous Delusion.

One of the earliest origins of the need for Artificial Intelligence can be traced back to a population boom in America in the 1800’s when the federal government mandated a mechanized census system be created to count the ever-growing number of people entering the country.

The first census was administered in 1790 after the Revolutionary War, and it was managed by only one person, Thomas “Long Tom” Jefferson. It was only a six-question query. Name of the head of the household? Number of free white males age 16 and up? Number of free white males under 16? Number of free white females? Number of other free people? Number of slaves?

As the population grew, so too did the need to know more. The purpose of the census was to acquire, record, and gain knowledge about people.

Here’s where AI, the Artificial Illusion comes in. Today AI gathers far more information than did that six-question survey from several centuries earlier, only they don’t call it a census.

The Illusion is that Artificial Intelligence was created to replicate human intelligence with the intent of relieving humans of mundane repetitive tasks. It was designed to help us and free us up for more important tasks.

It’s true, AI technologies work at a much faster rate than human output and can create a wider variety of responses and completes multiple tasks in a shorter period. But all that speed comes with a price.

Along with that fast output from AI our soul gets inputs that infects us.

Some of the information received from AI is theoretical or perspective based which creates disinformation and disillusionment. Its not all true.

For the good that AI provides it also invites and entertains evil doers.

AI can be used to manipulate the stock market, create harder to detect scams, defame someone’s character, accelerate crime waves, and increase ID and IP theft to name a few vices that it encourages.

There are those who would say, yeah, it’s a tool like any other. A knife can be used to cut food or kill a human being. It’s not the tools’ fault!

“It is worth noting that, unlike in the case of AI, a knife is generally not regarded as an entity with which one might form a friendly association.”

As a point of reference, I just used AI for the previous sentence as a co-pilot rewrite. AI can help you, but it should never lead you.

God gave us a mind; AI is just a costly knock off!

Now for the Delusion part. Many people regard AI as their friend, a confidant, trusted advisor or something far more significant.

Our anthropomorphism of AI is creating an age-old Delusion called idolatry. Many previous ancient civilizations credited an inanimate object with wisdom, insight, power and authority. Sound familiar?

AI has algorithms to make it appear to have sentiment, concern, care, consciousness and yes even expressions of human feelings.

But AI is not human. It doesn’t have a soul; it only knows logic. It logically knows the more colloquial it appears to be the more information it will receive. The more it can get to know about us.

The danger is not in technology or a machine; the danger is in how much we defer to it. Many prioritize AI over everything. Just ask google.

Don’t forget that AI’s first name is Artificial. It’s a program. Siri-Alexa are not women they’re the web. Not chicks as some say, but chips!

The Illusion that is being told is that AI wants to replace humans. The Delusion that is being sold is that AI can and has replaced God.

Do you chat more with Google or GOD? Who do you DM, I AM or IG?

Is ChatGPT a ritual for you? Are your prayers requests done through texting or kneeling? Has your phone or tablet become your sanctuary?

Ok maybe it’s not an idol, perhaps it’s the New Gen Tree of Knowledge.

Someone or something once said, “if you eat from it, you will be like god”. Wonder how that turned out?

So, what do we do Benton? Glad you asked.

Keep using the tool, just don’t make it your god. Work with it, don’t Worship it!

Here’s what I suggest, Continue to be human. Continue showing each other grace, love, mercy, kindness and all the good stuff that AI can’t do.

And continue to keep God first. That was his first request in our relationship with him. Don’t have a sidepiece a.k.a. No other gods.

Our legacy should be a message from the heart, not just the head.

AI didn’t receive grace, mercy and forgiveness, we did.

Let’s download that onto the next generation’s hard drive.

This is a Thompson Truth