By DL White
In a different time and era, almost 50 years ago (1976), the storage innovator of the day – Memorex, implemented a series of commercials featuring the legendary jazz singer Ella Fitgerald, the ageless, wide-ranging, flexible and accurate performer who could imitate every instrument in an orchestra.
The queen of Jazz was recorded do-bopping and hitting some high notes which were so pure that it shattered a glass while being recorded on a Memorex audio cassette.
When the piece was replayed, the recording of Fitgerald also broke the glass, leaving a stunned audience asking: “Was it live, or was it Memorex?”
The popularity of the commercial lasted into the late 80’s until the cassette was replaced by other recording devices such as the disk, flash drives and eventually the Cloud.
Fast-forward to 2024, and the question today is not is it “Live or Memorex, a recording” but rather is it “Real or fake?” with the innovation of (AI) Artificial Intelligence.
AI is not new, the application of it has become more advanced and it is now being utilized to simulate everything from voice to images.
Artificial intelligence refers to a computer system that is capable of performing complex tasks that historically only a human could do. This includes reasoning, making decisions and solving problems. Today, even more complex ones at that (https://www.counsera.org).
Think back to those Arnold Schwarzenegger movies in which he was an autoboot – a lifelike, real looking, walking, talking, unit of destruction.
Today, AI is being used in a number of ways and with the 2024 Presidential election looming on the horizon, it is a sure bet, back actors will do their absolute best to use the platform to sow misinformation and disinformation.
The actual concept of artificial intelligence dates to 1950, according to various websites and research on the subject.
It was Alan Turing, who proposed the Turing Test in 1950. Thought to be simple but profound idea, of having a machine converse with humans and have those humans believe it was human.
This early research and implementation paved the way for the development of more advanced AI systems. As the idea evolved and more individuals became involved in the process, those early concepts were the foundation and introduced neutral networks – the brain’s digital cousins.
Apparatus with the ability to learn and adapt over time. Individuals intrigued by the potential began to crunch more numbers, and patterns to mimic how humans think. Training neutral networks required a massive amount of data, a constant stream of “brain food” which allowed the system to associate and eventually cross-reference thus learning from the content and past.
Once can also draw a close parallel to actor Will Smith’s summer block buster of years past “I Robot,” to appreciate how advanced and futuristic the field has become.
Today there is a surge in computer systems that can manage more complex challenges from creating art to interpretating human language in ways that amazes and stuns most in the field.
AI is not all bad, the innovation and advancement can prove and has proven to be viable in many pursuits from medical breakthroughs to gaining more insight on natural disasters, the issue becomes when those that have access and ability, use the genius of the application to do harm and or evil.
Welcome to the 2024 Presidential elections. Back actors both foreign and domestic have the tools to do much damage, Robo-calls from the President (or was that AI) to social media platforms distributing fake news generated to confuse, upset, and persuade individuals to stay home and not vote…. possibly.
Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes has been making the rounds of major news networks with an AI generated image of himself. The image and sound are so lifelike it has those viewing asking, “Was that really the SOS or AI? The same way individuals were asking “Was that live or Memorex?” A generation ago.
Secretary Fontes in taking the pro-active measure is setting the stage for what he understands will be an eventful election season, thus he developed an AI tool to expand the access to justice and the right/freedom to Vote Act, www.azsos.gov.
Without question the advancement of AI requires guidelines and ethical oversight in the form of regulatory frameworks to ensure the use and not misuse of the platform, which has the high potential of improving and enhancing human life as we know it.
For more information on the SOS (AI) creation and or voting in general www.azsos.gov
DL White, M.A., M.Ed, is a community servant/leader in the areas of education, journalistic research, community engagement, and youth and family advocacy. He is the author of Discovering The SAUNK In U, and the Sensational Letter S! He is based out of Phoenix, Arizona.