Letter to the Editor: Is it real?

Is it real and how did it get here? Both interesting questions and which need pondering. I’m talking about ChatGTP, Bard, and others that will soon be coming. If one were to be aware of anything currently important enough to be aware of, one would be aware of the new AI that is being developed that will revolutionize the way we do about everything. It will have the same effect as all other technological developments in the last century and a half. These technological developments have included the telegraph, the telephone, the automobile, the computer, and the cell phone.

Each of these technological innovations have revolutionized human behavior and this new AI will do the same. Our legislature is busy banning books and other forms of information from our schools. Unfortunately, they inhabit a long ago age when a book formed the only content available to a person who wanted to know something. Now, not only is all content available on your cell phone, you will be able to make new content by merely asking.

So you have to ask yourself, where do these legislators come from and in what epoch do they inhabit. It certainly is not reflective of the USA in 2023. How do you ban something that is everywhere — like air? And, how do you ban something that you can create by simply typing in a question or a command? These actions by our legislatures are all nonsense of course and without any significance. Since our legislature is unable to deal with the 21 century, it will be up to the courts to deal with it. They are directed by the legislature, but are also independent; and if the legislature is unable to keep up with technology and the change in human behavior, it will be left to the courts to deal with it.

As an example of the difficulties ahead, Bard will be able to create images. Currently, the depiction of sex of various kinds will convict a person of obscenity or some other sexual crime that will put him or her on the sex offender registry for life. As it stands now, one must download or view these images from a server somewhere in cyberspace. Now you will be able to create your own. What do we do now? The notion that the possession of images can put you in prison and on a sex offender registry is medieval to begin with, but now it will be completely uncontrollable. A person will be able to create and view an illegal sex act at will, privately, and forever.

Another interesting issue, if you ask Bard a question, or give a command, how do you know what you will get? The answer to that is, you don’t and you can’t. That’s why you ask a question in the first place or give a command. So if I ask Bard a question or give a command and out comes some illegal content, who goes to jail? I would object if it were me: I didn’t ask for it! Bard made it up by itself. So what now folks? Does banning books have any effect whatsoever and can’t we sometime actually elect some people to the legislature who reside in the 21st century? It would really be refreshing.

Richard E. H. Phelps II

Mingo