A Google engineer claims that AI assisted chatbots have become sentient. It is difficult to distinguish between AI generated output and human generated text and images.

Already we have been experiencing Copilot, ChatGPT, Stable Diffusion and Generative AI. It has affected how we develop, work and live. There are moments when our outlook to computing changes with the advent of a new technology — Google did it, iPhone did it and now ChatGPT is set to do it. During such moments, even the lay persons not in technology space start trying such technology. Artists have started using Stable Diffusion, Midjourney and DALL-E in 2022. Stable Diffusion is small enough open source AI generator that can run on a laptop.

These apps will create new videos and new songs in 2023. Will it make us more creative? Or will they make us laid back? Already we know that GitHub Co-Pilot saves us hours of repetitive coding work. Thus our creative faculties are freed up for more advanced work.

In the last decade, there were predictions about the effects of AI on the employment. It was thought AI would displace blue collar workers such as drivers and other factory workers first. Later it will affect low-skilled white collar jobs. It will be followed by high IQ white collar jobs such as programmers. The last and least AI will affect the creative jobs. However, we are witnessing the whole thing going topsy-turuy.

Is AI in our best interest? The issue has been raised right from the time AI has been pioneered seven decades back. AI can be used in the interest of mankind or can be abused . Superman was instilled with values that one should be protective and must be of service to others. Had it been otherwise, Superman would not have been a hero for us. Machines are agnostic — not right or wrong. It is we humans who use them rightly or wrongly. AI could be parented by us — you and me. It will do us good if we are good.