Thoughts on AI (ChatGPT)

A few years ago in conversation, a smart and educated person critiqued all the talk about the latest advancements and their relationship to Moshiach.

He claimed that in the past 300 years since the industrial revolution, the world hasn't made any really "game changing" inventions. We've perfected the machines and become more efficient, but even the internet pales in comparison to things like machines, running water, real medicine etc.

The answer to that may be unfolding as we speak.  The two most promising inventions that could be transformative like the inventions of old are in beta as we speak.

A couple months ago I wrote to you about how the "cold fusion" breakthrough could be the start of the "energy revolution".

AI may be the next stage in the “information revolution” (the beginning was perhaps the internet).  They've released Chat GPT, which is just a tiny taste of artificial intelligence capabilities. This AI bot can pass medical exams, create lesson plans, summarize long lecture videos in seconds and explain deep Chassidic discourses.

Many people are afraid of this technology.  I think their concerns boil down to three  things:

1)  Will AI turn on us and take over the world? 

2)  Will AI take our jobs and make the world poor?

3)  If computers are doing everything for us, how will we fill our time?

The first question is easy.  No, AI will not take over the world.  That's for the movies.  Only humans have free will.  No matter how sophisticated AI becomes, it will never have free will.  The risk is, that like any technology, AI needs safeguards to ensure it's not exploited for evil by people, and this is what Elon Musk is concerned about, not a robot takeover of the world.  Internet, smartphones, wifi and every invention under the sun can be used for good or evil and AI is no different.  As it says in Pirkei Avos,  "Everything G-d created, was created for His glory" and it's our job to ensure “His glory” is what happens.

What about our jobs?  Will AI (machine learning) create artificial but better analysts, architects, consultants, writers, judges, contractors, receptionists and anything and everything in between?

They may well take our jobs, but I don’t think it’s a reason to worry. 

My father is an economist, and he predicts that some of the inventions on the horizon are worth quadrillions of dollars.  Infinite energy together with machines that can replace almost every profession is hard to put a price tag on.  The super-wealthy of today with hundreds of billions are nothing compared to what’s coming. The only question is how much to tax them, and the rest of the world can live off the universal income generated by these quadrillionaires. This is pretty much where things are going.

I’m imagining building beautiful shuls in one month from the first architectural consultation to finish inspection.  The computer can design based on your needs, architectural preferences and pictures you like.  It will immediately be engineered with a system that is integrated with the city codes to ensure the design meets your local requirements.  Then robots will come on site and work 24/7 until the project is finished, likely using 3D printing to finish a higher quality project than we’ve ever seen cheap and fast.  I think college is becoming obsolete.

So what will we do all day? Besides for generating income, work also gives people a sense of purpose and productivity.  How will we feed that human need to be “productive”?

For starters, people don’t feel any less productive by operating a bulldozer instead of digging by hand with a shovel.  Using the computers of the future to accomplish whatever it is that we need to accomplish can still give a sense of purpose.

But the real answer lies in the last words of the Rambam in his Mishnah Torah: “In that era, there will be neither famine or war, envy or competition, for good will flow in abundance and all the delights will be freely available as dust. The occupation of the entire world will be solely to know G-d.

Therefore, the Jews will be great sages and know the hidden matters, grasping the knowledge of their Creator according to the full extent of human potential, as Isaiah 11:9 states: 'The world will be filled with the knowledge of G-d as the waters cover the ocean bed."

In other words, there are two ways for people to get satisfaction: (1) working to create (2) working to understand G-d (learning Torah, especially Chassidus).

Even today, it’s possible for people to get satisfaction and purpose by learning Torah.  I study at least a couple hours a day, and this gives me satisfaction just like work does.  Some people can study Torah full time and feel completely satisfied.  I studied Torah full time even after Natanya and I married, not to mention all my yeshiva years.  Post marriage yeshiva (kolel) was great, but as I approached our first anniversary, I felt this inner need to go out and work.  At this time in my life, I get meaning from a hybrid of studying Torah together with work.

When Moshiach comes, we will all come to appreciate understanding G-d and His Torah so much, that it could be our full time occupation and we’ll still feel fulfilled.

Buckle up.  We have  good times to look forward to, and we can induce this reality now by increasing our Torah learning and incorporating more mitzvahs into our lives.

This past Shabbos, we just finished another cycle of Rambam’s Mishnah Torah.  Can I recommend that you check it out, read through his first three chapters, or even listen to some of the classes on Chabad.org.

Here is a link to see the first chapters, or here to read more about the Rambam and the study cycle.

P.S.  I asked Chat GPT to edit my email, and this was its version:

Dear [Recipient],

I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to share some thoughts on the advancements in technology and their potential impact on society.

In the past, many people have criticized the latest inventions and their supposed game-changing impact. They argue that since the industrial revolution, we have only made incremental improvements to existing technology. However, I believe that two recent breakthroughs, cold fusion and AI, could be of the same magnitude as the inventions of the past.

AI, in particular, has made huge advances in recent months, with the release of Chat GPT, which is capable of passing medical exams, creating lesson plans, summarizing videos, and explaining complex Chassidic discourses. While some people are afraid of this technology, their concerns are mostly unfounded.

Many people worry that AI will take over the world, but this is unlikely. AI does not have free will, and we can implement safeguards to prevent its exploitation. Similarly, while AI may replace some jobs, it will also create new ones. The economic potential of AI is hard to quantify, but it could be worth quadrillions of dollars. This will create new opportunities for people to find work and generate income.

As for the question of what we will do all day, there are two ways for people to find satisfaction: working to create and working to understand God. Learning Torah, especially Chassidus, can provide a sense of purpose and productivity. Even today, people can find fulfillment by studying Torah. When Moshiach comes, we will all come to appreciate understanding God and His Torah so much that it could be our full-time occupation, and we will still feel fulfilled.

In conclusion, we have a lot of good times to look forward to, and we can create this reality now by increasing our Torah learning and incorporating more mitzvahs into our lives. As a suggestion, I recommend joining the daily schedule of studying Rambam every day.