AI has been in use for almost everything (including partially editing this short writing :smiley:). So far, I think it’s been making life easier for those of us who were fortunate enough to have received an old-style education. However, looking to the future, I am a little afraid that it might lead us into another era of Emperor Qin Shi Huang.

  • It is not going to burn books per se, but I believe it will further diminish the relevance and importance of knowledge, human decency, and morality in society—a trend that began even before the rise of AI.

As Fuzuli’s famous poem states, without buyers, any knowledge loses its value and cannot thrive. And good deeds flourish when they are acknowledged, appreciated, or praised.

  • Full English translation: “True knowledge (or talent) is subject to appreciation; any good without a buyer is a loss. An unappreciated good is a loss.”
  • Full Original Turkish:“Marifet iltifata tâbidir, müşterisiz meta zâyidir. İltifatsız mal zâyidir.”

I think with the rise of internet and now AI, most knowledge based skills and talents will no longer be appreciated enough. Therefore, I foresee a further erosion of societal respect for individuals who are knowledgeable and wise.

When this is combined with the problems inherent in capitalism and the global economic system—where wealth is merely accumulated through speculating/betting on different things rather than producing anything with value and people work harder just to meet basic needs (water, food, shelter etc.)—I grow more pessimistic about the future. People with little experience or knowledge, who only have some understanding of concepts but lack a deeper understanding of human decency and moral principles, could lead societies into significant turmoil.

I hope I am wrong but I believe the most significant thing AI will do is to just add more to the greed of the wealthy.