Because I don't think it's good to have the prospect of a single technology wiping out many entire career fields, which AI will certainly do. Already is beginning to do. This isn't a matter of the taxi driver having to transition from driving a horse and buggy to learning to drive a car.
Yes as technology advances, some careers are rendered obsolete, but more often people in those careers just have to learn new technology. AI promises to make millions upon millions of job obsolete. Some see that as wonderful progress. Just my opinion, I don't. They are already exploring AI physicians, where AI evaluates the patient and makes the diagnosis. Surgical robots run by AI, rendering surgeons obsolete, AI classrooms, rendering teachers obsolete. Air traffic controllers, etc. It goes on and on. Will all of this ultimately come to fruition? Probably not. Much will probably come to partial fruition. But they will simply keep pushing the boundaries further and further for what AI can do.
Also, and this may be my main reason, it's a terrible thing for people to stop thinking. The job I work in they are pushing us to use AI more and more to make decisions, but I don't want to stop thinking. Studies have already shown people who rely on AI have far less brain activity than those who do not. AI unavoidably makes people lazy thinkers. It's the internet on steroids. With the internet, we have instant access to the cumulative knowledge of mankind. You'd think we'd be a society of super geniuses, but we're woefully intellectually behind ancestors b/c we don't actually have to do any work to get information. That will be amplified a thousand fold with AI. AI will, without question, make people dumber. There's no way to avoid it. Look at GPS. 30 years ago, you just had to use paper map or a road atlas to find your way around. We managed. These days, people are helpless in a new area without GPS.
I look at it a lot in terms of what world my children will learn and grow in. I hate the thought of them living in world run by AI where they never have to think.
I also understand that we are not capable of restraint. I don't deny that AI can have some useful applications. It's not a matter of people using AI to summarize large documents or to assist in analyzing complex problems. People want AI to do absolutely EVERYTHING imaginable (refer to 2nd paragraph above).
It draws to mind the movie Wall-E (a more apt movie reference, I think, than my friend's Terminator reference above). Nobody had to do anything for themselves anymore so they all just became morbidly obese and rode around on hover scooters 24 hours a day. It was funny in the movie, but it's what we are hurtling towards. Life imitates art. It's kind of like the GLP-1 drugs everyone is in love with for weight loss. Forget showing some self control and dieting and exercising to lose weight...just give me a shot in my blubbery thigh so I can lose weight without any work.
I'm all about the human element, which I have made clear with vocal opposition to instant replay in college football.
I'm very well aware the pro-AI people will say all the things I've pointed as negatives are actually wonderful progress. But you asked why I'm anti-AI, and that's why. Some prominent folks, even in technology fields, have voiced concerns about the all-in approach many have with AI. My hope is there will be some kind of restraining pushback, but I'm not hopeful.
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