It's important to understand what AI tools can do, but the question often remains: what should they do? In Draw the Line by Fred Wordie, reflect on and decide where you personally draw the line on what human tasks should be delegated to computers. In semi-satirical Why Don't You Ask ChatGPT? question over-reliance on AI agents and explore alternatives.
While AI technologies may seem to exist only on our mobile or computer devices, the underlying computational processes require physical space and resources. Data centers that host computing hardware required to train AI require massive infrastructure, spending, and energy use. Beyond the facade of automation, post-training and finetuning of AI requires large-scale human labour, which can include the exploitation of workers around the world.
Individual use of LLMs and conversational agents carries multiple sources of risk, from exposure to false information (LLMs are not necessarily truthful or reliable), to the potential for both emotional and cognitive overreliance, by developing an unhealthy dependence on chatbots for use cases such as emotional support, critical thinking, and personal decision-making.
Understanding what AI is, and what it's not, isn't just important if you want to build more of it, but if you want greater agency, understanding, and safety for yourself and your loved ones as you interface with emerging technologies.
At Decifer Studio, we aim to build critical tech literacy by demystifying emerging technologies using play and creative storytelling. We are lucky to be in community with peers who leverage education, advocacy, and broad coalitions to advocate for safer and more ethical development, deployment, and usage of technology such as AI tools. See: Design It For Us, Innovation for Everyone, and Encode.