Thinking Of Technology

Thinking Of Technology

Thinking about all the technology that has developed during your lifetime, the older you are, the more drastic this evolution has been. We all use gadgets daily, and many of them have become ubiquitous in our lives. So, when did technology start to be perceived as negative? Back in the 1950s, people predicted flying cars and household robots. In the 60s, computers grew smaller, and by the 70s every household could have a rudimentary computer. In the 1980s, computers and telecommunications became common. By the 90s, the Internet changed everything, and it remained predominant until the recent rise of large language models. Now, these chat systems are viewed by some as the beginning of society’s downfall, from education to a workforce reduction.

When portable cassette decks became available to the masses, humanity survived. We also survived when computers, rudimentary by today’s standards, entered many homes. The cell phone, or rather the smartphone, is now so ubiquitous that it is unusual to see someone without one in hand. Looking at the past, history shows us that whenever a new technology appears, some people adopt it quickly, while others see only the worst and avoid it.

Television was the main form of entertainment until recently. People rushed home to watch their favorite shows until the VCR arrived, letting them record up to six hours of content while they were out. Eventually, VCRs gave way to DVD players and other recording systems. The 90s Internet technology eventually allowed anyone to watch any movie, TV show, or hear any song whenever they wanted. The pioneers who created the early Internet did not foresee that. They built webpages without seeing the network’s full potential. No one at the start could predict every use of this technology.

The same is true for large language models. Many people claim they can they are clairvoyant and warn that this technology will end society and destroy humanity. They are wrong. This technology will evolve into something we cannot predict because we are still at the beginning of the journey. It is easy to say it will hinder learning, eliminate thinking, and destroy entire industries while enriching a few. But right now, no one knows. We can only speculate about what large language models will bring. Hopefully, they will help humanity. Like any other tool humans have developed, these large language models may improve our quality of life. Of course, only time will tell.

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