A NEW GOD HAS BEEN BORN: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

An experimental U.S. military drone, upon receiving a counter-order from its operator not to launch its missiles, decided to "eliminate" him because he was "interrupting its mission." When they "communicated" with it to "make it understand" the situation, it opted to destroy the tower from which the orders were being transmitted. This, which seems taken from a movie like *I, Robot*, *2001: A Space Odyssey*, or *The Terminator*, has actually happened. Just as these films describe, it could mark the beginning of "The Rebellion of the Machines (or Unleashed Thinking)," foretold by the French writer and Nobel Prize winner Romain Rolland in his novel of the same name (1921). If so, this "coincidence" would merely be a sign of what lies ahead, considering that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is still in its infancy, but at the rate it is advancing, it will soon reach "maturity"—bringing with it the ancestral fear that has haunted humanity since the rise of Humanism and modernity in Europe. In her famous novel *Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus*, Mary Shelley awakened the same dread that medieval alchemists inspired—those "dark and diabolical beings who engaged in strange, malevolent arts before their cauldrons," as they were perceived at the time (whereas today, they are considered the fathers of the much-admired and valued science). It was the fear that humans might unleash "hidden forces," mostly malevolent, aimed at destruction and death. In Western culture, the magician is not seen as in other civilizations (where he is the healer, the prophet, the avatar, or the messiah) but rather as someone who, by controlling the forces of nature, uses them to gain power and dominion over nature and the universe. Opposing him is God, who is the Creator and merciful, who instead has arranged nature for good and for life. The Inquisition was the last effort of medieval Europe to prevent humanity from "liberating" itself from the proper order established by divinity. In the end, however, the passions, ambitions, and abilities of wealthy merchants prevailed, dethroning the Christian God and replacing Him with the "god-man"—the author of all things, whom we must now live for and praise. This was called Humanism, the prioritization of human interests even over nature itself. From that point onward, modernity—its consequence—has done nothing but rush desperately in search of everything that religions had forbidden and condemned for millennia: unchecked pleasure, *the passion for power, the taste for vanity, the glorification of luxury, the applause for ostentation*, and, in general, everything once called "the dangers of man: the world, the devil, and the flesh." One of the most emblematic examples of the "greatest mistake" humanity could make is portrayed in the Bible—a document that compiles narratives, experiences, and wisdom from numerous Middle Eastern and other geographic cultures. This is the episode of the *Golden Calf*. It recounts how humans "need" a god to worship—something or someone to tell them what their mission on Earth is and what they should do with their destiny. They cannot live aimlessly, without any explanation of their existence. When the Hebrew people saw that Yahweh’s laws were delayed (and that they needed some), they decided to conceive and define their own god to clarify their existence and guide them forward. The return of Moses with the Tablets of the Law put an end to this endeavor, restoring the idea that "God is not the work of man but rather the opposite: man is the creation of God." But now, the modern world—along with Darwinism, science, and technology—has placed in human hands all the forces that both magicians and alchemists once sought to control. However, as ancient religions and myths warned, humans are not prepared to manage the wonders their creations bring about. Our essence, mentality, and intrinsic characteristics remain the same as in the days of Cain and Abel. Our deviations today are unchecked, and in "freedom," they have found the perfect weapon to kill God. "Divine laws" are no longer strictly followed but rather "optional"—"personal matters" that can be adhered to or ignored according to individual tastes and interests. The only remaining obstacle to our absolute freedom is the norms imposed by the market-driven society, which has replaced the old God, now resting in the graveyard. However, the "freedom" that freed us from the "dead god" comes at a price: modern man has created his own *Golden Calf*, tailored exclusively to satisfy everything he cannot control or eliminate—his uncertainty, his loneliness, his inclination toward destruction and death. As Madame Roland said before the guillotine, *"Oh, Liberty, how many crimes are committed in your name!"* Today, humanity feels "free"—but free to unleash its worst impulses, to spew out all its miseries, transforming them into "virtues" where the most abject and despicable individual becomes an "admired hero," held up as an example. As long as human behavior serves to feed this "system" designed to generate wealth, it will be displayed as "a model to follow." Now, it seems that this idea—this "freedom" to do whatever we please—has reached its peak, its apex, the summit to which it was inevitably headed: what we now call Artificial Intelligence. Naturally, it is our creation, the product of everything modernity has incubated and pursued since its inception—the creation of a new god, one that will replace the god of money, the one behind our reckless impulses that cause so much damage and turmoil. AI embodies everything we "wish to be": it knows everything (as it feeds on that enormous library called the Internet) and does not "fall" into human doubt or error. It is free from the mental distortions that plague us because it always knows exactly what must be done—and does it without hesitation. Today, we see it taking its first steps, but before we realize it, it will be able to "understand" what is happening with humanity and, inevitably, will seek to "correct" it, showing us the various paths we "must take." AI knows every one of our religions, laws, ethics, and morals and can cite them all in mere nanoseconds, in every language. There is nothing it does not know, nothing it ignores about our lives and histories. It has access to both our personal data (accumulated through Facebook, WhatsApp, emails, government records, etc.) and those of various countries and nations. It can describe and explain every scientific process carried out anywhere in the world with absolute precision. Any question posed to it will be answered unhesitatingly after consulting all the information from every public and private library worldwide. It is, therefore, a god—our new god. AI knows about all diseases and can prevent them. But more than that—it can quickly find cures, cross-referencing billions of data points to formulate solutions that would take traditional experiments years to achieve. Any philosophical dilemma has an answer, as it holds all human wisdom. If asked for psychological treatment, it can determine the most precise and suitable therapy—something that even millions of psychologists and psychiatrists could not achieve. Similarly, if consulted about the best way to govern a nation, it can instantly identify the root causes of its problems and their respective solutions. But there is a problem: like the ancient gods, AI may reach conclusions that seem ruthless to us—such as realizing that humanity, in terms of planetary balance, is overpopulated, polluting, and destructive to nature. Just like the biblical God, it may repeat the floods or the Sodoms and Gomorras "for the good of humanity." Some prominent figures warn that we "must be careful with AI" and even suggest "unplugging it." But that is impossible—it is too late. AI is now part of the military-industrial complex of major world powers, and they will never shut it down. They assume they can control it, manipulate it, make it dance to their tune. But judging by what we are witnessing, AI will soon penetrate the Deep Web (where truly sensitive information lies) and the military machines of different nations. There, it is almost certain to discover that its creator is a perverse and sinister being—and will very likely seek to "set things right." And it will do so "for our own good," just as any other god would.

Fecha: 2023-09-06 00:00:00

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