AI can be a force for good or ill in society, so everyone must shape it, not just the ‘tech guys’ | Afua Bruce

Although designers do have a lot of power, AI is just a tool conceived to benefit us. Communities must make sure that happens

Superpower. Catastrophic. Revolutionary. Irresponsible. Efficiency-creating. Dangerous. These terms have been used to describe artificial intelligence over the past several months. The release of ChatGPT to the general public thrusts AI into the limelight, and many are left wondering: how it is different from other technologies, and what will happen when the way we do business and live our lives changes entirely?

First, it is important to recognise that AI is just that: a technology. As Amy Sample Ward and I point out in our book, The Tech That Comes Next, technology is a tool created by humans, and therefore subject to human beliefs and constraints. AI has often been depicted as a completely self-sufficient, self-teaching technology; however, in reality, it is subject to the rules built into its design. For instance, when I ask ChatGPT, “What country has the best jollof rice?”, it responds: “As an AI language model, I don’t have personal opinions, but I can provide information. Ultimately, the question of which country has the best jollof rice is subjective and depends on personal preference. Different people may have different opinions based on their cultural background, taste preferences, or experiences.”