Caixin Editorial: A Clear-Eyed Approach to Dealing With AI

We should neither accept blind optimism nor succumb to doomsday predictions about the rapidly developing technology

An attendee takes a picture of a prototype of the Tesla Bot at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference 2023 in Shanghai on July 6. Photo: VCG

Now that 2023 is over, people may feel a desire to let go of a bewildered sigh. Looking forward to 2024, their hope lies in the future — yet there is also a sense of uncertainty.

Humanity seems to have arrived at a crossroads again, with “uncertainty” becoming a buzzword. The recent “palace drama” at OpenAI has brought the fantastical world of technology back to reality. Artificial intelligence (AI), like a metaphor, encapsulates human intelligence and dilemmas, opportunities and risks, self-harm and salvation. Facing the future, we should neither blindly accept optimism nor succumb to doomsday predictions, but examine all possibilities with a sober and honest attitude.

Like the current global situation, the path of AI’s development is momentarily unclear. The emergence of ChatGPT and its competitors, like mushrooms after the rain, show the long-missed signs of disruptive technology. Technology itself is neutral, but its development and application are never neutral and can bring about both blessings and curses.