By Dr Laila Abdel Aal Alghalban
The polarisation of attitudes towards technology is definitely due to the polarised discourses we are exposed to and participate in, which are represented in what we read, study, see, hear, etc. Discourses shape the way we think, talk and ultimately act.
Power relations are instrumental in this process. According to discourse analysts, power forms and institutions such as media, entertainment and cultural industry, educational and political institutions, law enforcement institutions, families, and socio-economic bodies, all of which represent the elites or the dominant groups, are responsible for discourse production, circulation and reproduction. They, through their dominant, mainstream discourses, dictate the way people relate to one another, the topics addressed, what is permissible and what is not, and channel ideologies and power. Ideology, which runs deeply in us and we mistakenly believe that it is reality, finds in discourse the power machine that consolidates its dominance on the one hand, and excludes, silences, suppresses or marginalises opposing ideologies, on the other. Let us see how two of the dominant social institutions, namely the BBC and Hollywood, perceive artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
AI misinformation epidemic
A very casual look at the BBC news stories on AI at the beginning of the new millennium reveals instantly that most of them were communicating fear and uncertainties. Some headlines read: “ Adapt or die: How to cope when the pots take your job”, “Singularity: The robots are coming to steal our jobs”, “ Humans need new skills for post-AI world, say MPs”, “Out of control AI will not kill us, believes Microsoft research chief”, “ Google’s AL beats world Go champion in first of five matches”, etc. The horrifying depiction of AI is not new. In a seminal article published in the Guardian, Oscar Schwarts argues that myths and misrepresentation have plagued AI discourse since the forties of the 20th century. The exaggeration in the ability of robots to self-learn and develop a language of their own, for instance, brings to minds the Frankstien horror.
Casting light on benefits
The discourse is becoming more optimistic in 2018 and 2019. The surge of AI news stories popping almost every few hours is unprecedented. Most of them highlight its rewards:”Artificial intelligence can be weapon in cancer fight”, ”UK MP seeks’ safe and ethical’ artificial intelligence”, “Artificial intelligence must be for common good”, “Minecraft players to be helped by AI assistant”, to cite a few. Al is reported to help with diagnosing eye diseases, creating jobs, generating texts, warning against racism and sexism, taking care of senior citizens, protecting submarine fleet, repelling military threats, fighting terrorism, among a long list of AI benefits. Meanwhile, BBC coverage rarely overlooks the ongoing or potential threats AI might pose; AI is reported to write fake news, provide biased data in policing work, cut jobs, marginalise the human roles, breaking privacy, etc. Yet, casting light on the benefits remarkably and increasingly outweighs the risks.
Still a matter of assumptions
As for Hollywood, the way it depicts a topic is absolutely shaping the way people around the world perceive it. Steered by science fiction, Artificial intelligence has been discussed in many Hollywood films, whether these films were pro or against. Unfortunately, some of them have created a lot of myths, misconceptions and misinformation. In other words they robustly take part in the AI misinformation epidemic. A case in point is the films depicting the supremacy of cyborgs ; super heroes whose biological functions are supported by mechanical devices, or super human-like machines that have biological organs and aspire to be fully human. The impressive thing about most of these depictions is that they instill and nurture unbelievably-exciting horror. However, it is still a matter of assumptions how technology will go far, and if actually AI would reach a point of conflict and a game of power between humans and machines. The human element still has the upper hand in controlling technology.
The only trace of the human legacy
One of the remarkable films that graced the big screen was Steven Spielberg’s movie “ A.I. artificial intelligence” that showcased how humans will react to the increasing number of robots, and how they will try to destroy as many robots as they can to purify the human race and protect its superiority. In the middle of this, a robot of a young child named David is presented to a family of a child in coma to comfort them. David has the most significant quality that resembles humans, which is emotions. He can feel love and create bonds with humans. David loved its human mother and felt abandoned when the human child recovered and got all the attention. His emotions were manipulated by the human brother who wanted to get rid of him. The human mother left David in the woods in one of the most touching scenes. You find yourself crying and rooting for David in his helpless journey to meet his mother again. The irony of the film is that David, the symbol of AI that human tried to destroy, would be the only trace left after human race extinction and creatures after us looked at him as the human legacy.
More realistic depictions
Other more realistic depictions of AI come to terms with the uses, benefits and rewards of AI in our life. From smart speakers like Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant, Apple Assistant, etc. which automate our homes and grant us more time and energy to do amazing things instead, to the driverless cars, to creating our own avatars or digital twins that can do many chores instead while we are on a holiday or running our business, films shed light on all of them.
So the more emphasis on the rewards and benefits of AI in many discourses , media coverage , films, social media platforms, everyday talk , etc., the more likely that a greater number of people hold positive views and cultivate more acceptance and even passion for the increasing role of AI in our life. But hold on, think about the motivations for that. Simply, it has to do with boosting the interests of the dominant groups, the elites.
By Dr Laila Abdel Aal Alghalban Professor of linguistics Faculty of Arts Kafr el-sheikh University
Email: [email protected]
