Moan all you like about technology, there\u2019s no denying it\u2019s made friendship easier. In an ideal world you would spend quality time together, have deep meaningful chats on the phone and swap well thought out, insightful texts. But when you\u2019re busy, tired, or just not in the mood, what a relief that you can send a meme, or a quick video, and know that fully counts as keeping in touch. Result.<\/p>\n
My terrifying, omniscient algorithm served me an Instagram reel last week of an incredibly realistic 3D hole a street artist had painted on the sidewalk in New York. As people tried to pass by, they glanced down, saw the hole and panicked, feeling that they were falling, so dropping to the ground, even though of course the pavement was flat and solid. It was funny and, I thought, clever, so I pinged it to a friend, who I was sure would agree. Instead, he told me, in extremely certain terms, that there was no 3D hole, no street artist, and no passersby \u2013 because the clip was AI. Heck, New York might not even exist \u2013 at this point I can\u2019t be sure of anything.<\/p>\n
I felt like I was wearing a tinfoil hat. I can\u2019t believe I hadn\u2019t questioned any of it for a second. Talk about naive, foolish and out of touch. Feeling ashamed, I healthily distracted myself by turning my attention to my so-called friend. Should he have (metaphorically) urinated on my bonfire like that? Perhaps it would have been nicer to leave me in my blissful ignorance. Obviously it will be a cold day in hell before I forward a video to him again \u2013 next time I\u2019ll send him a lengthy voice note, and he only has himself to blame.<\/p>\n
What is the etiquette when it comes to breaking the news that somebody should not have believed their eyes? This might not seem like an important issue but we do need to work it out, because AI isn\u2019t going anywhere. (I always say please and thank you to Alexa, which I hope she\u2019ll remember when she\u2019s in charge.) We must decide on a collective strategy.<\/p>\n
Informing someone that a video they\u2019ve been charmed, entertained or excited by isn\u2019t real is, on the surface, simply telling them the truth. The problem is that they didn\u2019t ask, and were happier not knowing. It\u2019s not only spoiling their fun, extinguishing a brief moment of joy in this increasingly bleak existence, it\u2019s messing with their whole concept of belief, of faith. Maybe it\u2019s the equivalent of an atheist pointing out plot holes in the Bible to somebody deeply religious. Probably best leave them to it.<\/p>\n
But AI has the potential to be dangerous (not you Alexa, love you). If we don\u2019t learn to question it, the chances of us being scammed by its ever more sophisticated use in the wrong hands is high. Could it be that alerting someone to AI is a kindness? A necessary evil? Insurance? They\u2019ll feel like a doofus for a minute, but if that stops them being tricked in the future, it could be worth it.<\/p>\n