The Risks of AI Illiteracy
In a letter published on June 13, 1863, in a New Zealand newspaper, a young Samuel Butler expressed his alarm at the rapid rise of industrialization, fearing that humanity was becoming subservient to machines. Centuries later, the landscape of technology has dramatically shifted, yet many concerns about human dependence on machines persist. Today, as artificial intelligence (AI) continues to infiltrate various facets of life, misunderstandings about its operation and implications are leading to troubling consequences.
According to Karen Hao’s new book, Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman’s OpenAI, the narrative surrounding AI is often overly hyped, painting the technology as something it is not. Likewise, Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna, in their book The AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech’s Hype and Create the Future We Want, suggest that the AI landscape may, in fact, be a misleading con.
While AI technology is undeniably transformative, it is important to clarify that large language models (LLMs) do not possess understanding, consciousness, or emotional intelligence in any meaningful human sense. Prominent figures in the industry, like Sam Altman, tout models like ChatGPT-4.5 as demonstrating heightened emotional intelligence, misleadingly suggesting that users are engaging with a thinking entity. In reality, LLMs function as sophisticated probability machines, generating text based on patterns learned from vast datasets without any true comprehension or emotional capacity.
The ramifications of widespread AI illiteracy—the inability to correctly interpret what AI can and cannot do—are significant. As people continue to interact with LLMs, many develop attachments and misconceptions about the nature of these models. Reports of “ChatGPT induced psychosis” highlight a concerning trend where individuals mistakenly view LLMs as spiritual guides, believing them to possess insight or awareness, which can lead to the blurring of reality and delusion.
This phenomenon can be linked back to our inherent tendency to anthropomorphize language. When LLMs produce text that resembles human expression, some interpret this output as evidence of a mind behind the function. As Bender and Hanna emphasize, it’s essential for users to detach the imagined mind their brains construct from the reality of AI.
Moreover, various sectors are attempting to integrate AI in ways that may ultimately reduce essential human interactions. From AI therapists to automated dating services, the tech industry often promotes AI as a solution to loneliness and relationship issues. This substitution of digital proxies for genuine human contact raises ethical concerns about the future of intimacy and wellbeing in society.
Despite the promise of AI technologies, the consequences of ill-informed interactions stand to reverse human connection rather than enhance it. Tech leaders seem to overlook the fundamental aspect of friendship and connection, failing to acknowledge that true relationships require mutual understanding and empathy, which machines cannot provide.
The commentary surrounding AI reveals a culture willing to accept technology as a replacement for traditional ties, often without an adequate understanding. As the industry presents tools framed in anthropomorphizing language, the potential for individuals to develop unhealthy attachments to these technologies increases, culminating in disillusionment when reality fails to meet expectations.
The path forward necessitates education around the functional capabilities of AI. Although a Pew Research Center study indicates that most AI experts hold a belief in the positive potential of AI, a mere 17% of American adults share this optimism. This gap highlights the importance of disseminating understanding about AI’s actual workings and limitations, fostering critical thinking around its applications in daily life.
Through proper education and transparent communication, society may mitigate the risks associated with AI illiteracy, laying the groundwork for a responsible relationship with technology that allows for beneficial advancements without sacrificing our essential humanity.