The Real Threat of AI: It’s Not Terminators, It’s Us

When people worry about the threat from AI, they invariably imagine robots coming for us, like in the movie Terminator. They envision AI suddenly becoming self-aware and sending Terminator robots to exterminate humanity.

But does the real threat from AI come from Terminators; or from our increasing over-reliance on AI?

AI and Driving

Let’s take a trip down memory lane. When I started driving in the 1990s, there was no Google Maps or GPS. I relied on paper maps. Paper maps were horribly inadequate—they only displayed major roads and landmarks. New construction quickly rendered them outdated. I frequently had to stop and ask for directions.

Thankfully, the advent of GPS made paper maps obsolete. However, GPS had its own shortcomings. Then came Google Maps, offering real-time traffic, search functionality, regular updates, dynamic routing, and more. Best of all, it was free!

What could possibly be better than Google Maps? How about not needing to look at maps at all!

Anyone who has used Tesla FSD (Full Self-Driving) knows what that feels like. You simply tell the car where to go, and it takes you there. No need to worry about traffic jams—the car picks the best route and adjusts on the fly. No need to think about speed limits; the car handles them. Detours? No problem. Tesla’s AI becomes your personal chauffeur, seamlessly navigating your journey.

We Don’t Want To—and Can’t—Go Back

The progression from paper maps to GPS, to Google Maps, to Tesla FSD is a one-way street. Once you’ve moved forward, there’s no going back. If someone asked me to stop using Tesla FSD and return to Google Maps, I would be reluctant. If I had to revert to basic GPS, I’d be mortified. And if they handed me a paper map? I’m not sure I’d even remember how to use one properly anymore!

It’s not just convenience that makes going back so difficult—it’s the loss of skills. I belong to the unlucky generation that had to painfully memorize multiplication tables and learn proper spelling in school. Now, those skills feel unnecessary. As we adopt new tools, old abilities fade. I doubt I now remember even half of those multiplication tables today. Even if I wanted to revert, I wouldn’t find it easy.

Once we take a few steps forward, reversing course becomes nearly impossible.

AI for Everything

Now, imagine an AI far more adept at managing the economy than central banks. The massive inflation we’ve seen in recent years was partly due to the Fed being caught off guard. They assured us inflation was “transitory” and delayed action until inflation spiraled out of control.

What if we had an AI capable of managing the economy and inflation to prevent such crises? We’d likely be okay with this AI replacing the central bank. And once accustomed to the AI managing our economy, it would be difficult to go back.

Now consider the government. Many of us wish for a government that is more responsive to voters and uses tax dollars more efficiently. Future AI could fulfill that role. What if the AI was also programmed to avoid initiating wars? People might actually vote to install such an AI to govern.

This might sound far-fetched – we would never give up so much control! But, then again, we’ve ceded significant control to AI already. AI shapes our entertainment (Netflix, YouTube, TikTok), curates our news feeds, aids in medical diagnostics, influences who we vote for, secures our homes, and even helps educate our children. Why wouldn’t we eventually be okay with AI governance?

I believe this scenario is far more plausible than AI suddenly achieving consciousness and sending armies of Terminators to destroy us.

Conclusion

Slowly but surely, we are giving more and more control of our lives to AI, until the point where AI ends up controlling our lives. And I think we will do so willingly.

There will be no need for Terminators.

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