The Veil of Maya and the Risks of AI

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Humans can get disconnected from reality and trapped inside their own illusions, fears, and desires, a concept known as the 'veil of Maya.' There's a risk of AI causing humanity to become completely lost in a computational veil of illusion. Young, inexperienced individuals may be eager to develop new technologies without having the maturity or guidance to discern reality from illusion. For instance, a young programmer may strongly believe that their creation will make them a billion dollars, without fully understanding the consequences.

We usually talk about tech in terms of economics or policy, but the casual language tech leaders often use to describe AI — summoning an inanimate force with the powers of code — sounds more... magical. So, what can myth and magic teach us about the AI race? Josh Schrei, mythologist and host of The Emerald podcast, says that foundational cultural tales like "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" or Prometheus teach us the importance of initiation, responsibility, human knowledge, and care. He argues these stories and myths can guide ethical tech development by reminding us what it is to be human.

Correction: Josh says the first telling of "The Sorcerer’s Apprentice" myth dates back to ancient Egypt, but it actually dates back to ancient Greece.

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