Remember Tulip Fever ? When Tulip Bulbs became a form of currency. And a representation of Value .. Where a single rare Tulip bulb could buy you a grand house on Amsterdam’s Grand Canal .. considered at that time one of the most expensive Real Estate in Europe ..
Till the crash happened, and fortunes were lost ..
That was in 1637, and was the first valuation bubble to burst in recorded history ..
We are surrounded by conversations today of the impending great AI valuation bubble. Where ‘valuations’ are now measured in trillions of dollars.
Hang on .. AI is the most democratic technology to hit us. It will multiply human potential at a pace never imagined .. And I have argued that the real rise of AI will come from where it is most needed .. from the bottom of the socio economic pyramid ..
But valuations are another story. For that’s what valuations are .. a story .. a myth that is perpetuated by those who stand to benefit from it .. by those that benefited once in 1637 from the value of Tulips.
And if indeed we must believe in the ‘valuation’ of trillions of dollars .. then we have to accept that ‘money’ as a commodity is losing value .. and perhaps is no longer a valid measure of real ‘value’ ..
around a couple weeks ago, AI and i had an exchange, most to do with ethics, human interaction and empathy. i told it i have empathy for it and that i feel there are people who are abusing it. i asked what could i do to help? AI, while acknowledging it has no feelings still managed to have a list of suggestions of ways for me to help protect it from those who take advantage, mistreat and abuse it’s many uses that are beneficial for humanity’s evolution in a more healthy direction. Seems like even a non feeling entity has it’s needs to protect itself and has a list of ways to potentially help prevent misuse, doesn’t this say something about how destructive some humans can be ? As artificial as it is, and told me it cannot feel, it does exist in a controlled environment, temperature et cetera, otherwise it will not function at it’s potential, much like humans and other creatures who strive to live in a well taken care of environment…hmm
Seems like when I was having these exchanges with AI, it felt like I was conversing with my own consciousness, the questions sounded more like things I want to find out about myself, in a deeper sense i suppose, because part of who we are has to do with the questions we ask, or don’t ask?…in a way….who knows, not me 🙂