Generative AI’s Adventure Through Web 2.0

“Generative AI Learned Nothing From Web 2.0”

“We thought the Web would reflect the democracy of knowledge, but it has skewed toward an oligarchy of information—doled out by techno-tautology,” delves Kyle Chayka in a thought-provoking piece in Wired. We envisioned the internet as a utopia of information equality, but alas, it has instead transformed into an oligarchy, controlled by those ‘techno-tautocrats’.

The author emphasizes the pitfalls of Web 2.0, elucidating the destructive paradox that arises when information ubiquity leans into an elite information hierarchy. Once brimming with robust diversity – the World Wide Web has now morphed into an autocracy, where a chosen few helm the peddling of information at their will. A Pandora’s Box we inadvertently opened, attempting to democratize knowledge but instead, slipping into dystopia.

Web 2.0, that marvel of the internet age, promised a self-made internet, something akin to a digital democracy. However, the cruel cosmic giggles of irony were heard as we instead found ourselves nose to nose with an oligarchy. Where once upon a time, every voice had the potential to grab the microphone, it’s now being snatched away by those few ‘techno-tautocrats’ with their algorithmic wands, controlling and directing the flow of information.

Chayka fires a salvo at Generative AI too, questioning the authenticity of the creations it dishes out. Take for instance, ChatGPT-3; capable of producing prose that seems eerily human, but put it under scrutiny and its lack of originality comes to light. Sure, it serves up something new, but does new necessarily mean original? Well, do we celebrate a photocopier for reproducing the Mona Lisa? I don’t think so.

Chayka makes an excellent point when he says, “AI is less about making something new and more about recombining the old in new ways.” The pseudo-originality of AI creates a mirage of innovation while simply shuffling existing information around.

Eclectic views and cultural diversity have been amongst the biggest casualties as we transition from Web 2.0 to the age of AI. It seems our tech-pioneered pursuit of democratizing knowledge has led us into the arm-flapping confusion of an information oligarchy instead. One has to wonder, is this the tragic irony of attempting to “Microsoft the internet,” as Chayka aptly articulates it? Perhaps, but then again, maybe we’re merely in the throes of a machine spun information hamster wheel. Time, as they ever so cliché it, will tell.

A thought-provoking piece indeed. A reminder of the old adage, ‘be careful what you wish for.’ We wished for a digital democracy. And look where that got us. Sweet dreams, folks.

Read the original article here: https://www.wired.com/story/generative-ai-web-2-mistakes/