Home The internet has undergone a dramatic transformation, the vibrant hub of human creativity and interaction has given way to a new order dominated by faceless entities—AI and bots tirelessly churning out content. This is the essence of the dead internet theory, a concept that has captured the attention of many. Interestingly enough, this alleged shift in the digital landscape coincided with the wild and contentious 2016 U.S. Presidential election. Coincidence? Perhaps. But let's avoid that can of worms for today.
You don't have to search far and wide to find articles attempting to debunk this theory. They pop up left and right, desperately trying to prove that the human touch still prevails online. However, here's the reality check: whether or not the dead internet theory held any truth in the past, it's becoming all the more relevant today. Enter ChatGPT and its AI cohorts. These sneaky little algorithms are getting scarily good at mimicking human conversations. So good, in fact, that distinguishing between a real person and a language model is becoming an impossible task.
But wait, there's more! I stumbled upon this intriguing article that shed light on a new phenomenon called the cozy internet. Sounds cozy, right? Well, it's all about creating semi-guarded online spaces built on trust and relationships. Picture it as your virtual living room, where you hang out with your friends and like-minded folks. It's a nice concept, sure, but there's a catch. If the cozy internet takes over, it might just pull us away from the original vision of the internet—the information superhighway that was meant to connect every single person on this planet. Talk about a detour!
Think of the Internet’s expansion as a parallel to the vastness of the universe. In the beginning, everything was tightly knit. But as time went on, things started drifting apart. And boy, did they drift! Now, certain parts of the universe are so far away that even if we could travel at the speed of light (which we can't, unfortunately), we still wouldn't reach them. That's how our virtual social webs are shaping up too—they're drifting farther apart faster than we can ever catch up.
But hold on, you might be thinking, "What does all this have to do with AI and the law?" Well, my friend, buckle up for a wild ride. The way we, the general population, interact with AI online sets the tone for how society perceives and regulates this technological juggernaut. Case in point: the heated cultural battles over AI-generated images. Artists are rallying for regulations to protect their precious copyrights. We can already see how people govern AI without direct experience, In the United States, both Democrats and Republicans are getting their heads together to put limits on AI in the realm of nuclear weapons. Why? Blame it on the movies, my friend. Films like "Colossus: The Forbin Project" and "Terminator" have left a lasting impression on lawmakers, shaping their policies based on their personal experiences and, let's face it, a touch of sci-fi-induced paranoia.
However, if we're serious about crafting rational AI policies, we need more than just a bunch of tech-savvy lawmakers huddled in their ivory towers. We need real people, with diverse backgrounds and experiences, to dive headfirst into the world of AI. And guess what? The internet is the gateway to this brave new frontier. But here's the catch: if we all retreat to our cozy corners of the web, we might miss out on the good, the bad, and the mind-boggling effects of online AI. So, here's a newsflash: the dead internet is creeping upon us, if it hasn't arrived already. But hey, it's not all doom and gloom. The Internet is dead; long live the Internet .This presents a golden opportunity to spark an informed, exciting, and downright necessary global conversation on AI regulation.
-Intern K