BY FREDDY MACHA
I have heard those seven words, throughout my life. The End Of The World Is Coming…
In 1962 I was in primary school and adults were whispering, we shall all die soon. As a 7 year old, I was so terrified that for the entire week, slept under the bed where my parents scooped me out, each night.
America had just threatened to drop an atomic bomb on Cuba. Just like President Trump has been promising to “annihilate Iran” – in 2026. Subsequently , as you can see, almost 70 years later, talk of our planet’s demise is “vivant,” as the French say.
Last month, Jacob Coxon, a researcher at America’s Anthropic, resigned and cautioned Artificial Intelligence (AI) could wipe us by 2030. According to Coxon, we have only four years left!
AI is everywhere, suddenly.
You do not know what is real; or lies.
Two prominent individuals have equally warned about AI. Stephen Hawking the gifted, disabled, British scientist (who died 2018) once said “development of artificial intelligence could spell the end of human race if not properly managed.”
Two weeks ago, Microsoft founder, Bill Gates , warned of billion deaths caused by AI if “left unchecked”…
Some call this -scaremongering.
When you chat to average Londoners you get extreme views.
A homeless guy at the pub joked: “AI can easily hold us ransom by jamming electricity…can’t cook, can’t communicate; can’t do anything. A slow agonising death. How do you live without electricity?”
Religious guys issuing pamphlets across London’s travel stations, tend to shout something like: “The end of the world coming. There is only one saviour. Jesus is coming to save us. Turn to him fast!”
Was watching the famous internet behaviour expert Joe Navarro who declared AI can do many things but not human relationships (i.e. friendships, family, etc.) !
Where does Africa stand?
We are a growing continent with technology trying to catch up. Like we saw (on this column, last week) – use of phones – only a few can “afford” them.
In a way, not using too much technology, could be an advantage. No wonder in Europe you see individuals who engage in illegal activities “avoiding” smart phones- preferring those 1990s tiny phones that cannot be tracked. Might being “backward” technologically, be better for you, then?
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