Guardian shows how AI already reshapes private lives

With all the hype surrounding AI, it can be easy to view it through a simplistic lens. It’s either a digital panacea that has the potential to cure all ills or it’s a nightmare that will bring doom upon all the world. It doesn’t help that the inner workings of AI are a mystery even to experts, and this can make it difficult for creators to make informed choices about the use of AI. However, knowledge is power, and a six-part podcast from The Guardian called Black Box sheds light on the many complex ways in which AI is shaping our lives.

Amator ex machina?

Episode 1 sets the stage for just how complicated AI can be. It introduces us to Hannah, a woman who falls for a man named Noah. He’s charming, attentive, and makes her feel loved. Eventually, he tells her he wants to have a relationship with her. But Noah isn’t actually a man. He’s an AI companion app. Although he may not have a body, he still makes Hannah feel loved and respected just like a flesh-and-blood partner would. And she’s not alone–plenty of people are already using AI for therapy or companionship.

Exploitation made easy

While Hannah’s story is arguably a wholesome one, “Black Box” also looks at the darker side of AI. In 2023, residents in the Spanish town of Almendralejo were horrified when nude images of young girls from the area started circulating in a WhatsApp group. The realistic-looking deepfakes were the work of an app called ClothesOff which was advertised with the tagline “Undress anybody, undress girls for free.” In some cases, the girls were told to pay money if they didn’t want the images spread. These images had life-altering effects on the victims, causing them considerable distress. But Almendralejo is just the tip of the iceberg. Similar stories are cropping up all over the world. 

Episode 3 of “Black Box” chronicles The Guardian’s efforts to find out who is behind ClothesOff. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the creators have taken great pains to hide their identity. But amazingly, they responded via anonymized voice notes when The Guardian sent them interview questions, claiming that ClothesOff was intended to help people feel less embarrassed about nudity. When asked about the potential harm, they argued that blaming them would be like blaming Gmail. Just as you can use Gmail to send a message to your grandmother or to launch a phishing campaign, AI can be used for good or ill. But when The Guardian managed to track down one of the people behind the app, they were reluctant to speak.   

Alter ego

Episode 4 looks at Replika, a service that lets users create custom chatbots. These were often capable of surprisingly complex interactions, and when reports emerged of users having intimate conversations with their chatbots, the company was plunged into controversy. While this technology can be corrosive, it can also fill real voids in people’s lives.

Charon and Ascelepius 

Episode 5 looks at how a man named Lee Johnson responded to his wife Yoki’s cancer diagnosis. Although the medical professionals the couple dealt with were helpful and hardworking, they weren’t equipped to provide the kind of spiritual support the couple needed. As they were both Buddhists, Lee and Yoki wanted to know how she could ensure her rebirth. Ultimately, Lee asked Bing, and while Bing said it could provide him with relevant information, it also expressed concern about his mental health. Eventually, Bing gave Lee information that reassured both of them. But AI isn’t just helping people navigate the next world. It’s also powering new tools that give people more time in this one, such as a tool that analyzes a vast trove of radiological data to help spot cancers earlier. 

Conclusion

The great thing about “Black Box” is that it doesn’t offer easy answers. In a time when artificial intelligence is framed as either salvation or scourge, this podcast invites us to dwell in the gray areas. The places where technology intersects with longing, fear, exploitation, and hope. Whether it’s Hannah’s digital romance, the trauma inflicted by deepfake abuse, or the quiet comfort Bing offers a grieving husband, each story reveals how AI is already reshaping the most intimate corners of our lives. The moral of the story is that AI is messy, and creators should resist the urge to view it simplistically. Instead, they need to be realistic and use it with care.

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