Early psychological impacts of AI

AI burst into the scene meteorically. From a futuristic theoretical fantasy or clumsy early renditions to an undeniable force spanning every facet of life. We cannot yet know how this will affect people, our world or our psychology. However, this article intends to document some of the early psychological impacts.

Fear

The array of reactions discussed in this article, which is not intended to be a complete list of societies reactions, could be subsumed under the umbrella of fears.

Of takeover

Science fiction seemingly foreshadows our blinded desire to lunge forward into our own destruction. As if we are fated to create our own demise. Certainly we can imagine being of little utility in the eyes of what potential AI might carry in the future - if it becomes a truly conscious entity, will it be indifferent to humans or consider us a nuisance? Of course, there is the possibility that humans and AI can coexists, and for many, the fears of AI takeover seem to have the flavor of delusion, but also throwing caution to the wind seems quite naive.

Environmental

Reports indicate that AI burns through swaths of energy, be it natural or fossil fuels, this can be immensely concerning in the age of an already tipping environmental scale toward instability and global warming. However, we have also seen leaps forward in energy technology in part in direct response to AI, both the energy demands but also likely utilizing AI as an ally to develop new technologies. What will move faster: AI's consumption of energy further undoing a tenuous homeostasis, or new sustainable energy that could change the fate of Earth and possibly humanity?

Jobs

AI is used in nearly every job space. As a business owner, it is unavoidable to maintain my company's website - the playing field has change in which it is essential to get feedback from AI. Most professional use AI to enhance (or, cough cough, do) their work. Professors are dismayed by student's reliance on AI, and further deterioration of writing ability. I recall teachers saying "you won't always have a calculator," as I walked into the exam without mine ("ha, gotcha on that one!"). Only years later, everyone has a computer in their pocket. Now, these computers have generative AI that can not only do your math homework, but create just about anything you need for school or work with the risk of hallucinations (wrong or fact information in the AI output). In my field, people are leaning on AI to be their "armchair" therapist, and often with some negative consequences, but we would be shortsighted not to assume those who see the dollar as the bottom line aren't interested in how to reduce healthcare costs with AI or secure healthcare dollars for themselves with AI products at the cost of higher-quality, human care. It's hard to imagine AI taking over the workplace to a degree that humans are out of house and home, but there could be much upset during transitions over the following years. I think about countries like Kuwait with significant oil reserves - many people live comfortably due to the value of the land. Could AI simplify our lives and jobs rather than take them away?

Duped

Almost every social media post contains at least one comment casting doubt on the post's legitimacy versus the potential that it is an AI-generated rouse. Not only does this highlight the doubt that humans are experiencing in the media we are addicted to, but also a reflexive fear of being duped. It would be a threat to be tricked, not just once, but repeatedly. This is a threat when we can't trust the information fed to us. It could lead to problematic or dangerous decisions (in health, politics or otherwise). This inability to trust stimuli around us vaguely elicits thoughts about psychosis. What effect will it have on our psychology when we chronically cannot trust what we see? Or maybe future generations will take this for granted - does the reality of the stimuli matter? Will AI generated content be "real" in the eyes of those who grow up with it? Remember, those who attended the first even movie ran from the train headed toward the screen. It may be like a second language for currently living humans, but as familiar as a primary language for future generations.