Worldwide, Opposition to AI is Organizing

The expectations for protection, control, and regulation of employees are reasonable. It was to be expected: with the rise of artificial intelligence, a backlash was bound to occur sooner or later. It seems that this period has indeed begun, driven by groups of individuals increasingly angry at the untimely use of AI. They are now known as "Luddites", a term created by the British in the early 19th century to designate those who opposed the automation of the textile sector. The word then gradually entered common parlance to designate people resistant to new technologies, and it seems that it is set to experience a new life. As The Guardian illustrates, there has been a lot of backlash against new AI tools. In July, for example, SheerLuxe magazine introduced its “new fashion and lifestyle editor” named Reem to its readers, who was a fake person generated by artificial intelligence. The magazine’s editorial team, which had planned to use Reem’s talents to recommend products to its subscribers, was forced to backtrack and apologize in the face of widespread outrage. From "Doctor Who" to Lego? The British media also cites the case of the Prince Charles Cinema, in London's Soho district, which had to cancel the screening of a film written by an artificial intelligence, scheduled for June. It was the protests of the theater's regulars that triggered the decision. For its part, Lego also came under pressure after publishing images generated by an AI on its official website, and the BBC has given up using visuals of the same ilk to promote Doctor Who, in the face of the ire of fans of the series. According to The Guardian, what mainly drives the "Luddites" is the fear that the progressive invasion of artificial intelligences will have a significant impact on the job market. To go further, this hostility is also driven by the fact that to reach the astonishing level of skills that we now know them to have, AIs have previously had to feed on the work of humans, and that it would be all the more revolting if they ended up replacing them. There are numerous explanations for the rage. They also have a connection to the fact that technology is inherently sexist and has a tendency to further sexualize women (especially in light of the widespread use of deepfakes). The fact that AI uses a lot of energy and has stopped certain businesses from accomplishing their stated goals has also incensed environmental advocates. To put it briefly, despite the diversity of "Luddites"' backgrounds and beliefs, they all appear to be unified by the filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki's assertion that artificial intelligence "is an insult to life itself." In the end, these modern "Luddites" are not that radical, according to Brian Merchant, the writer of "Blood in the Machine" weekly. Like the "Luddites" of the 1810s, they prioritize discussion and accommodation above everything else. They are not calling for a return to the pre-AI era, realizing that AI is here to stay, but rather a more sensible and equitable approach.

INTELLIGENCE ARTIFICIELLE