Frustration with AI is growing. Like a frog slowly being boiled, the level of frustration isn’t noticeable day by day. But events of this past week point to breaking points as the temperature rises. Not only is physical violence reprehensible, but the approach is an utterly pointless strategy for coping with the march of AI. Rather than throwing stones to stop an incoming tide, there are better ways to survive and thrive in the great change ahead.
Luddites 2.0
Many people know a "Luddite” as someone who opposes or fears technology. Others knowing their history a little better, know that The Luddites were skilled textile workers in England in the early 19th century that destroyed thousands of machines to protest the onslaught of new technology of the industrial age. What most don’t realize though is that the Luddites didn’t just protest because they feared the technology, but protested against unsafe work conditions and lower wages due to incoming machines.
Power to the people, right? Well no, the Luddites were forcibly crushed by the British government and that was the end of that. They threw their Molotov Cocktails and missed. Fast forward to today and largely speaking, working conditions are much better than in the Luddite age. But weren’t the Luddites crushed? Yes they were, but humanity took roughly 70 more years to figure out the best solution forward. Trade unions formed at the end of the 19th century which were instrumental in getting workers things like the weekend, overtime pay, paid leave, and safety regulations. Rather than fight the machines, they elevated the human.
Many will argue that the AI revolution is not the same as the industrial revolution. The scale and sheer speed of change beats the pants off any force of the industrial age, but the core of the problem for both is really quite simple. When there is an overwhelming and threatening force where one overpowers the other, there are two choices: 1) Lower the force of the overwhelmer or 2) raise the force of the overwhelmed. Luddites and trade unions made a different choice and showed without a doubt which was the most effective.
So What Did Work?
Throwing Molotov Cocktails will not deter the overwhelmer. Throwing stones at the tide will not either. So which option is left? Elevating the human is the only solution to save the future where the wonders of AI and a prosperous future for humans can exist. Take the creative industries for example. Artists who have dedicated their life to their craft have seen a whirlwind blow into town creating art that any tech bro would be proud of. Can any 2.0 Luddite intelligently describe the steps in which all image generation tools will be shut down forever? Did the Luddites manage to stop all production of the industrial age? No, they barely made it out of their own shire.
So where are the efforts to elevate the humans amongst the anger of the rise of AI? There is encouragement here and there on social media and small groups sharing human made images. But where is the widespread, industrial size movement of elevating the human? It has been speculated that it will come, but at this point is sorely lacking.
The path is clear and the steps need defining, but now is the time. Discuss, ponder, plan, celebrate with your fellow humans as we all make this transition together. Don’t hope for a future you would like, make it. And please don’t throw Molotov Cocktails.
