Artificial Intelligence is no longer a science fiction. It is everywhere. There is a question in the mind of many people that AI will overcome human minds. Similar debates started when the industrial revolution, machinery advancement, and computers were invented. Today the era of AI again raising many ambiguities in the mind of people.
Understand what actually AI is?
“Artificial Intelligence-AI essentially means building computer systems that can solve problems and think in the way that humans do. Broadly, AI can be described as the ability to achieve complex goals through machines. “
AI is a huge field that actually try to replicate the human style of decision-making through machine learning. It is the idea that the computer algorithm can learn from data, recognize patterns and make decision with little or no human interference. In a traditional computer programmes, an instruction manual given to computers to perform a specific task. However, with machine learning, the algorithm effectively creates the instruction manual itself. Let us consider the example of machine learning in Social Media. Based on your previous search and your interest in specific videos or music, AI will prompt you with such type of advertisement or information that you are interested in.
Artificial Intelligence is a death of creativity
By creativity means when an individual thinks something that has never been thought before. One example would be Newton’s law of gravity is a moment under the tree when apple is freely falling. AI will not affect creativity in such manner; however, the danger here is that our increasing use of AI could make us think too much alike, leading to a decrease in cognitive diversity.
In the near future, AI would shape the homes, living spaces, even the cars we drive and our shared public spaces. It will kill the creativity by homogenizing the societies. This homogenizes further put the creativity at risk. AI models are trained on content we create. So the more we use AI the more generic our content will become.
Apart from cognitive diversity, AI is also reducing the brain storming capabilities of students. One of the most popular tool of AI is ChatGPT.
Students now a day extensively use this tool. Students just using AI to answer their questions sparking concerns among teachers. Writing essays is not just about completing an assignment; it is about strengthening the process of thinking, exploring and experimenting. It is about the ability to connect seemingly unrelated dots and to bring forth something entirely novel. When AI steps in to provide ready-made solutions, it narrows the scope of our thinking and limits the potential for original thought. Similarly, in the research work the content generated through AI has failed to detected plagiarism. Therefore, it reduces the mental capabilities and brainstorming of students that for sure kills the creative minds.
AI is not only assaulting academics, but also the essence of creativity in the form of painting, photography, and music compositions are questionable. AI generated content encroaches upon the human expression. In photography, the AI filters and enhancements completely modify the picture and just created an illusion of professional quality with minimal efforts of the photographer. Similarly, in the realm of painting, the introduction of AI raises questions about the soul of artistic creation. Art is all about emotions and depth while AI tools can generate art and assist artists; it lacks the ability to preserve the emotional depth and subjective interpretation.
AI is shaping and affecting all spheres of creative industries. In the previous year, WGA (Writers Guild of America) has ended the long strike against the use of Artificial Intelligence in Hollywood industry. Hollywood writers triumph over AI with a new contract about the use of technology in film and television projects. The most important aspect of these negotiations was the use of AI, amid concerns from both writers and actors that unchecked AI could dramatically reshape Hollywood and undermine their roles, pitting artists against robots in a battle over human creativity.
Along with these issues, another important impact of AI on creativity is the social and intellectual development of child. In the contemporary era, the child surrounded by AI driven technologies. Tablets, Robotic toys, Robot-Cars and AI based applications fostering the creativity of child. It only hampers the creative growth but also limits the ability of child to cope the challenging environment.
Contrary to these creativity issues originated from AI, there is another view who considered AI as an enabler for creativity. They consider AI as augmentation not replacement of human minds. AI technologies can help artists, writers, musicians, and other creative professionals generate new ideas, explore different possibilities, and even enhance their creative output. Similarly, AI can aid in idea generation by analyzing vast amounts of data and identifying patterns that humans might not recognize. This can serve as inspiration for creative projects or help creators break through creative blocks. If this school of thought is considered true than still a big danger lies in relying on AI to do creative work. This danger is due to the out of control and unchecked use of AI in daily life.
AI is a reality now. However, the only way to counter its menace through drafting and implementing the regulations related to AI. The balancing approach must be adopted in the use of AI for creative work. Creativity is the essence of human being. Without creativity the human act like, behave like machines. What distinguish human from machines is the sense of creativity, emotions and diversity. Technology should be adopted but under proper checks and controls.
Mr. Imran Yousaf is Mentor – Civil Services Examination, Pakistan.
