Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a hot topic of discussion in recent times, with its use becoming increasingly popular in various fields. However, as AI’s capabilities continue to expand, the ethical questions surrounding this technology are also growing. These questions raise concerns about whether AI should be given the power to perform tasks like creating fake music or even bringing back the voices of deceased artists.
Recently, news broke that Paul McCartney had used AI to help resurrect John Lennon’s voice for a new Beatles song, more than four decades after his death. While some found this exciting, others couldn’t shake off the feeling that using AI to recreate a dead artist’s voice was somewhat eerie. Even though the AI involved in this case only cleaned up some rough audio, it still highlighted the unpleasant side of AI hype.
The hype cycle surrounding emerging technologies like AI is characterized by a series of events that include breakthroughs, peak expectations, disillusionment, actual serviceable use, and adoption. However, the groan time usually occurs when the peak of inflated expectations arises. This is the moment when people start experimenting with the technology, leading to wild new creations, which include books written with ChatGPT, AI writing legal briefs and citing nonexistent cases, AI generating bot-driven tunes, and even using deepfake technology in music.
At this point, it feels like AI is overhyped, and people are still trying to figure out how to use it effectively. With the recent emergence of generative AI, the hype is greater than ever before. The proliferation of hype can lead to hype burnout, where people no longer feel excited about new technologies.
Living in an era when everything feels like the future is exciting but exhausting. It’s hard to differentiate which technologies will be worth investing in, with millions of dollars spent on Silicon Valley startups. AI seems like a sure bet that can’t be put back into its bottle. Therefore, everyone must stress-test it thoroughly to ensure it’s used for its most essential use cases.
In conclusion, AI is an ever-evolving technology that continues to be hyped up, but the underlying ethical concerns surrounding its use should not be ignored. As more people experiment with this technology, new creations and oof-worthy moves are being made on a daily basis. To prevent hype burnout, people should adopt a responsible approach towards AI and use it for the greater good.
