In AI We Trust: Power, Illusion and Control of Predictive Algorithms

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to dominate the future, but we are blinded by its efficiency and fail to understand how it affects us. This paradox leads to a reduction in our agency over the future, as AI can make us act in the ways it predicts. We need to understand the limitations of AI and how its predictions affect our agency, while also having the courage to embrace the uncertainty of the future.

Format: Hardback
Length: 200 pages
Publication date: 10 September 2021
Publisher: Polity Press

The future of AI is a topic of great concern, as it has the potential to dominate our behavior, institutions, and human identity. While AI has many benefits, such as increased efficiency and improved decision-making, it also poses significant challenges. One of the most significant challenges is the way that AI changes our experience of time and the future. AI algorithms can predict future events with a high degree of accuracy, which can lead to a sense of certainty and control over our lives. However, this sense of control can be misleading, as it can also reduce our agency over the future.
The performativity of AI means that it has the power to make us act in the ways that it predicts. This can be problematic, as it can lead to a loss of autonomy and self-determination. For example, if an AI algorithm predicts that we will take a certain action, we may feel pressure to act in that way, even if it goes against our values or interests. This can have a significant impact on our behavior and our sense of self.
Another challenge posed by AI is the way that it challenges our identities. As AI algorithms become more advanced, they are able to analyze large amounts of data and make predictions about our behavior and preferences. This can lead to a sense of being monitored and controlled, which can be uncomfortable and threatening.
At the heart of our trust in AI lies a paradox. We leverage AI to increase our control over the future and uncertainty, while at the same time, the performativity of AI reduces our agency over the future. This happens when we forget that we humans have created the digital technologies to which we attribute agency. These developments also challenge the narrative of progress, which played such a central role in modernity and is based on the hubris of total control.
We are now moving into an era where this control is limited as AI monitors our actions, posing the threat of surveillance. However, it also offers the opportunity to reappropriate control and transform it into care. To navigate this new world, we need to understand better the limitations of AI and how their predictions affect our agency. We also need to have the courage to embrace the uncertainty of the future, as it is an essential part of human existence.
In conclusion, the future of AI is a complex and multifaceted issue that requires careful consideration. While AI has many benefits, it also poses significant challenges that we need to address. By understanding the limitations of AI and having the courage to embrace the uncertainty of the future, we can create a world in which AI is used to enhance our lives and improve our society.

Weight: 364g
Dimension: 243 x 342 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781509548811