Trust in the Age of Generative AI
I recently returned from the Mobile World Congress (MWC 2024 ), and amidst the technological extravaganza, there was one prevailing theme that seemed to overshadow all others: generative AI. It was almost in everyone’s booth. The conversations I had, the presentations I attended, and the innovations I witnessed painted a vivid picture of a future where generative AI reshapes our reality in ways we’re only beginning to understand. Let me share with you some of the transformative ideas as well as concerns that are set to redefine our world in the next 24 months and beyond.
1. The Blurring of Reality
Generative AI has transcended from creating simple text, images, and code snippets to crafting hyper-realistic videos and cloned voices. It started with generating written content and is moving towards videos. This leap in capability is staggering, making me ponder the very fabric of reality. Imagine a world where seeing and hearing can no longer be synonymous with believing. The luxury of discerning truth from fiction becomes a monumental challenge, as AI-generated content becomes indistinguishable from real-life footage and audio.OpenAI’s ability to create hyper-realistic and dynamic video content from textual descriptions. SORA’s and Elevenlabs capability to generate videos that are increasingly difficult to distinguish from real footage substantiates the accelerating pace at which AI is evolving. On the tech side, we will reach the state of Model collapse in the next 2 years where there will not be more human-generated data left for AI to learn from.
2. Trust as the New Currency
In this emerging landscape, trust transforms into a new currency. The ability to verify the authenticity of information will become invaluable, as the floodgates open to cloned voices making fraudulent calls to banks, or fake news designed to manipulate public opinion. The trustworthiness of sources will dictate their value, turning verification processes into critical components of our information ecosystem. This is where blockchain technology and NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) become crucial. Blockchain’s inherent characteristics of decentralization, transparency, and immutability offer a robust foundation for creating a new kind of trust architecture in the digital age. NFTs, built on blockchain technology, provide a unique and indisputable proof of ownership and authenticity for digital assets, whether they be art, audio, video, or even texts. This system of digital verification could extend to verifying the authenticity of content and the identity of its creators, making it significantly harder for AI-generated fabrications to circulate undetected. By embedding trust into the very code that powers our digital interactions, blockchain, and NFTs emerge not just as tools for financial transactions, but as pillars of a future where trust can be quantified and guaranteed in the face of generative AI’s ability to blur the lines of reality.
3. The Hypothetical Scenario of Manipulated Reality
Let me put up a hypothetical scenario to illustrate this point: a presidential election is on the horizon, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Suddenly, a video surfaces — fabricated with uncanny precision — depicting a candidate making statements they never actually made. This fake video, spread through social media like wildfire, has the potential to skew public opinion and influence the election outcome. Similarly, imagine the ramifications of generating fake news to manipulate financial markets. The very notion of informed decision-making becomes endangered, threatening the foundations of our democratic and economic systems. This scenario brings up the pivotal role that governments and regulatory bodies will need to play in safeguarding human society. These Legislation and regulations will be essential in setting boundaries to ensure AI developments are aligned with ethical standards and public welfare. I am predicting that it will start in the next 3 months. The flip side of this will be that it will limit and kill innovation.
4. The Challenge of Being Human
I do not think anyone would have thought this would be something we would have to deal with.As generative AI becomes more sophisticated, proving one’s humanity becomes an increasingly complex endeavor. The lines between human and AI-generated content blur, making it harder to assert the authenticity of our creations and interactions. The question arises: how do we prove our humanity in a world where AI can mimic human behavior and creativity so convincingly? The Turing Test, proposed by Alan Turing in the mid-20th century, posits a scenario where if a machine’s responses are indistinguishable from a human’s, the machine can be considered intelligent. However, as generative AI becomes more advanced, we will find ourselves facing a reverse Turing Test: not proving a machine’s intelligence, but proving our humanity. The challenge lies not only in distinguishing between what is real and what is AI-generated but in redefining the value and authenticity of human creativity and interaction in the face of technology that can replicate aspects of our humanity so convincingly.
5. Digital Certificates of Humanity
The luxury of being undeniably human in a world where AI can mimic nearly every aspect of human creativity will have a profound cultural shift. We, humans, may find ourselves in an era where proving and celebrating the human source of creativity becomes a central pursuit. Traditional proofs of identity such as birth certificates will assume new layers of importance, evolving beyond their current utility. The solution may lie in the adoption of NFTs or digital certificates as a means to verify human authenticity. These digital markers could serve as proof of origin, distinguishing between content created by humans and that generated by AI. I find it a fascinating concept — using one form of technology to safeguard our identity against the encroachment of another.
6. The Imperative of Ethical AI
In this new era of generative AI, the onus is on us the humans to steer the development of generative AI responsibly and not get swayed into creating the smartest AI without responsibility.. Ethical considerations and regulations must become the bedrock of foundation models of AI innovation, ensuring that these powerful tools are used to enhance our lives rather than diminish our grasp on reality. The creation of such foundational models that prioritize ethical guidelines will be crucial in maintaining the integrity of our digital future.
I always believe and say that Science fiction depicts real science. Interestingly, No genre of science fiction is complete without tales of AI, where the narrative arc often veers into the realm where AI becomes a dominating force, challenging the very essence of humanity. This recurring theme is not merely a cautionary tale but a reflection of humanity’s deepest anxieties and hopes about the future we are building.
The list of movies that delve into the theme of AI gaining control over humanity is extensive, underscoring the fascination and fear of this possibility. Classics like “2001: A Space Odyssey” explore the perils of an AI with its agenda. “Blade Runner” and its sequel ponder the ethics of artificial life. “The Matrix” series presents a future where humanity is ensnared within a simulated reality controlled by AI. “Ex Machina” examines the blurred lines between human and machine intelligence. And “Terminator” series vividly depicts an apocalyptic future where AI decides humanity is the greatest threat to existence.
This was my main point of the discussions at MWC, I’m filled with a sense of both awe and apprehension. I am guessing that all the booths that displayed LLM, Generative AI, AI-first, etc themes will next year add words like “responsible” and “ethical” in front of AI.
