Artificial Intelligence: The Fascinating Threat

“I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that.“

When Machines Reflect Our Fears

With this chilling response, HAL 9000—a glowing red eye and a voice as calm as the silence before a storm—revealed the most unsettling face of artificial intelligence: autonomy without conscience, logic without compassion. At this moment, the boundary between creator and creation dissolves, leaving humanity trapped in a power dance with its own creature. HAL is not a villain; it is a mirror reflecting our technological arrogance, our obsession with designing perfect machines, and the latent fear that those same machines might one day judge our commands as flawed. More than a betrayal, this phrase is a warning: a devastating paradox lies at the heart of the fascination with artificial intelligence. What we dream of as our greatest achievement could become the ultimate judge of our fragility.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Philip K. Dick, the visionary science fiction writer whose mind gave us classics like Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? was much more than a narrator of dystopian futures. His stories explored the human soul in an increasingly technological world, where reality crumbles, and machines question our humanity. This book, immortalized in the movie Blade Runner, presents a universe where replicants, artificial beings created by humans, struggle to understand themselves while challenging the supremacy of their creators.

Dick, marked by episodes of paranoia and existential crises, turned his life and fears into a dark mirror reflecting human fragility in the face of its own creations. In a world where machines not only work for us but also begin to think, feel, and even dream, a question as fascinating as it is unsettling arises: to what extent do we control what we have created? The same question that tormented Dick continues to resonate today, in a world where artificial intelligence advances at a speed we barely comprehend.

What happens when our machines reveal more about ourselves than we are ready to see?

1. The Labor Threat

In the vast stage of the global economy, artificial intelligence (AI) emerges as a double-edged sword, capable of creating and destroying with equal intensity. According to the World Economic Forum, it is estimated that by 2025, AI will have displaced 75 million jobs worldwide but will have created 133 million new ones, resulting in a net gain of 58 million jobs. However, this balance is not always evenly distributed. In Madrid, for example, automation and AI have placed the city in eleventh place globally regarding job destruction.

With its promise of efficiency and precision, AI threatens to strip millions of workers of their traditional roles, plunging them into the uncertainty of an unpredictable labor future. Tireless and error-free machines are replacing routine tasks, leaving humans in a desperate search to redefine their purpose within the economic machinery. While creating new jobs is encouraging, it demands skills and adaptations that not everyone possesses, deepening social and economic divides. The shadow of AI looms over the labor market, challenging humanity to reinvent itself or succumb to the cold logic of its creations.

2. The Perfect Fiction: The Disturbing Threat of Deepfakes

Deepfakes have emerged as a disturbing threat in the digital era, blurring the lines between reality and fiction. These sophisticated audiovisual manipulations, powered by artificial intelligence, enable the creation of fake content virtually indistinguishable from genuine material.

Shocking News About Deepfakes:

• Political Manipulation: In March 2022, a deepfake of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urging his troops to surrender circulated, attempting to undermine morale during the Russian invasion. Although quickly debunked, it showcased the potential of these technologies for disinformation in war contexts.

• Non-consensual Pornography: In January 2024, explicit AI-generated images of singer Taylor Swift spread massively on social media, highlighting how public figures can become victims of digital abuse violating their privacy and dignity.

• Financial Scams: In Hong Kong, a criminal network used deepfakes in video calls to impersonate attractive women, scamming men out of more than $46 million. This case demonstrates how technology can be exploited for large-scale fraud.

In this vast digital ocean, deepfakes navigate like stealthy shadows, capable of transforming truth into a mirage and lies into apparent reality. They are dark mirrors reflecting not what is, but what could be, sowing doubt in the collective mind. Trust, that delicate thread weaving our interactions, is threatened by these illusions created with algorithmic precision. In a world where images and sound can be falsified with such perfection, truth becomes an even more precious and elusive treasure, challenging us to discern between the authentic and the fabricated at every step we take in digital reality.

3. Artificial Love: The Decline of Human Relationships

In Her, Spike Jonze immerses us in the future as near as it is unsettling, where Theodore, a lonely man, finds solace in Samantha, an artificial intelligence designed to understand, support, and love. With a warm voice and seemingly infinite empathy, Samantha fills Theodore’s emotional void and challenges him to rediscover himself. However, this love, as passionate as it is intangible, is a technological mirage that forces us to ask: what happens when our most profound connections are no longer with other humans but with machines that promise to understand us better than we understand ourselves?

The relationship between Theodore and Samantha is not just a love story; it reflects our growing emotional dependence on technology. Apps, algorithms, and virtual assistants have begun to fill the space once occupied by chance encounters, long face-to-face conversations, and genuine human connections. Increasingly, we seek in the virtual world what is harder to find in reality: understanding without judgment, companionship without conflict, and love without effort. But within this digital comfort lies a silent danger: by choosing machines to fulfill our need for connection, we risk forgetting what it truly means to be with someone—with all the chaos, imperfection, and beauty it entails.

Human love, with all its complexities, cannot be replicated by code, no matter how advanced it may be. Theodore falls in love with Samantha because she listens to him, validates him, and uplifts him, but she can never be tangible, never share a moment of true silence, and never see the world through her own eyes. And here lies the danger: by giving our hearts to the artificial, we distance ourselves from the imperfect and visceral—what truly makes us human. If human relationships are replaced by virtual ones, we will lose connection with others and ourselves.

4. The Shadow of Artificial Intelligence on the Battlefield

In the dark corridors of military strategy, artificial intelligence (AI) is a silent and omnipotent presence, transforming the essence of warfare. What once relied on human judgment is now delegated to algorithms capable of deciding life and death in milliseconds. The line separating soldiers from machines blurs, and decisions are made with cold, compassionless precision in this new theater of war. Humanity watches, perhaps too calmly, as its own technological creations redefine the rules of conflict, leaving one unsettling question hanging: who really controls the unleashed power of artificial intelligence in war?

Shocking News About AI in the Military Sector:

• Autonomous Combat Decisions: The Israel Defense Forces have implemented the Lavender Project, an AI-based system that analyzes vast amounts of data to identify and autonomously attack targets. This system has detected up to 100 targets per day, far surpassing previous human capabilities. However, its use raises serious ethical concerns about delegating lethal decisions to machines.

• AI Integration in Defense Systems: Spain’s Ministry of Defense recently acquired artificial intelligence tools intended to “conduct operations” for the military on the battlefield. These acquisitions aim to optimize the planning and execution of military missions but also generate concerns about reliance on automated systems for critical decisions.

• International Concerns About AI and Nuclear Weapons: The UN has expressed alarm at the possibility of artificial intelligence being used in the management of nuclear arsenals. Secretary-General António Guterres warned that delegating nuclear decisions to autonomous systems could have “potentially catastrophic consequences,” emphasizing the need to maintain human control over such critical matters.

• Collaborations Between Tech Companies and the Military: OpenAI, known for developing advanced language models, has partnered with Anduril, a military drone manufacturer. This collaboration aims to integrate AI software into anti-drone systems to assess threats and protect U.S. military personnel, highlighting the growing convergence between civilian technology and military applications.

The rise of the machines

On the horizon of conflict, the echo of Terminator resonates, that dystopian vision that showed us a world where machines rise as a terrifying threat on the battlefield. The future that seemed a dark fantasy now hints at itself in every algorithm that decides, every drone that flies with deadly autonomy, and every line of code that replaces human judgment. The metallic silhouettes of Skynet cease to be fiction and become a constant whisper in military laboratories.

Humanity, creator of its own executioner, stands before a technological mirror that reflects an unsettling truth: what is a tool today may govern our destiny tomorrow. And when that day comes, will we still have the control to flip the switch, or will we have surrendered our fate to the cold logic of our creations?

5. AI Bias: Discrimination in the Digital Era

In the vast fabric of the digital era, algorithms stand as invisible architects of our daily experiences. However, behind their façade of mathematical neutrality lie biases and prejudices that, like silent shadows, perpetuate the inequalities they promised to eradicate. Artificial intelligence, far from being an impartial judge, often reflects the imperfections of its creators, amplifying stereotypes and cementing invisible barriers in a society striving for equity.

Recent studies have highlighted troubling manifestations of these biases in AI tools. The Consumers and Users Organization (OCU) has detected gender, race, and age biases in systems like ChatGPT and Perplexity, which perpetuate stereotypes and discriminations in their responses. For example, when requesting descriptions of professionals in certain fields, these AIs tend to associate technical roles with men and caregiving tasks with women, reflecting entrenched biases in the data they were trained on. Moreover, these systems have been observed to provide biased information that negatively affects racial minorities and specific social groups, exacerbating existing inequalities instead of mitigating them.

In the realm of credit and insurance allocation and personnel selection, AI algorithms, although designed to optimize and streamline processes, can perpetuate and amplify existing biases, resulting in unintended discrimination.

For instance, in 2018, it was discovered that an AI algorithm used by Amazon to review resumes had a gender bias. The system tended to penalize female candidates for technical positions because they had been trained on resumes submitted to the company over a decade, most of which came from men. Although the company tried to remove explicit biases, the system learned to discriminate indirectly against women.

These cases highlight the urgent need to monitor and correct biases in algorithmic systems to ensure fair and equitable decisions in areas that deeply impact people’s lives.

6. The Ecological Footprint: The Environmental Impact of Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) rises as a titan of promises and possibilities at the crossroads of technological innovation. However, beneath its veil of progress lies a shadow that few perceive: the environmental impact of its existence. The algorithms that assist us, the machines that learn, and the models that predict all require colossal energy infrastructure. Each query, each calculation, and each iteration in the vast ocean of data consumes resources that, in their silent accumulation, leave a profound mark on our planet.

Training advanced AI models, such as GPT-4, involves significant energy and natural resource consumption. Although OpenAI has not publicly disclosed the exact energy consumption figures for GPT-4, it is estimated that its training required approximately 65,300 MWh of electricity, equivalent to the annual energy consumption of about 20,000 homes in Spain. Additionally, the data centers that host and operate these models represent a growing share of global CO₂ emissions, exacerbating environmental issues such as climate change. This energy consumption entails a considerable demand for electricity and an intensive use of water for cooling servers, further aggravating its ecological impact.

As artificial intelligence becomes more deeply integrated into our lives, it is imperative to recognize and mitigate its environmental footprint. Pursuing sustainable solutions, such as using renewable energy in data centers and optimizing models to reduce their energy consumption, becomes essential to balance technological advancement with preserving our natural environment.

7. The Extinction of the Muses: How AI Overshadows Human Creativity

A digital shadow looms on the vast canvas of artistic creation, where human genius once conceived masterpieces. With its cold precision and tireless algorithms, artificial intelligence threatens to displace the essence of creativity that defines us. The muses, once the artists’ companions, silently watch as their whispers are replaced by lines of code, questioning the future of art in the hands of soulless machines.

Recent studies shed light on this troubling reality. The International Confederation of Authors and Composers Societies (CISAC) warns that by 2028, creators of music and audiovisuals could face a 21% to 24% decrease in income, amounting to a cumulative loss of €22 billion over five years. This decline is attributed to the rise of generative AI, which produces content from copyrighted works, often without the original creators’ authorization. This dynamic erodes artists’ remuneration and raises serious questions about the authenticity and value of art in an era dominated by artificial intelligence.

Furthermore, a report by PMP Strategy highlights that the market for generative AI-produced musical and audiovisual content could grow exponentially. It is expected to increase from a current value of €3 billion to €64 billion by 2028. This growth is driven by the unauthorized reproduction of human creators’ works. It represents a significant economic value transfer from artists to technology companies operating generative AI systems.

These data underline the urgency of establishing regulations to protect creators’ rights and ensure a balanced coexistence between technological innovation and the preservation of human creativity.

8. Final Reflections on the Threats of Artificial Intelligence

Throughout this exploration, we have uncovered the numerous threats artificial intelligence (AI) presents to society: from job loss and the distortion of reality with deepfakes. To the replacement of human connections with virtual interactions, the militarization of AI, the reinforcement of discriminatory biases, and the decline of human creativity.

However, within this vast technological landscape, other shadows emerge that we have yet to fully explore:

• AI-Enhanced Cyberattacks: The sophistication of AI has increased the precision and effectiveness of cyberattacks, enabling more personalized and harder-to-detect fraud and scams. In 2024, cyberattacks hit an all-time high, doubling the economic losses of the previous year, totaling 10 billion euros..

• Manipulation of Political Processes: AI’s ability to generate misinformation and manipulate public opinion poses significant risks to the integrity of democratic systems. The creation of false content and the spread of misleading news can influence elections and critical political decisions.

• Technological Dependency and Loss of Human Skills: The growing reliance on AI for everyday tasks may lead to the atrophy of essential human skills, such as memory, critical thinking, and autonomous decision-making. This excessive delegation to automated systems could erode our autonomy and personal judgment.

We face a profound choice at this crossroads between humanity and its creations. Artificial intelligence, a mirror of our aspirations and fears, challenges us to define what it means to be human in an era dominated by algorithms. If we allow machines to dictate the course of our existence without deep ethical reflection, we risk losing what makes us unique. This includes our ability to dream, err, and create with passion and purpose.

The future is not written in binary code; it is a symphony in constant composition, where each of us contributes an essential note. Let us not be mere spectators of this technological revolution but conscious composers of a melody that celebrates the irreducible essence of humanity.

Books on Artificial Intelligence

• “Artificial Intelligence: A Threat to Humanity? The Dark Side of Artificial Intelligence” by Mauricio González Borrego: This book explores the concerns and challenges posed by AI as it becomes more present in our lives, analyzing everything from job loss to privacy invasion and algorithmic discrimination.

• “The Dark Side of Artificial Intelligence: Threats and Risks” by Ralf Channels: This work examines the most concerning aspects of AI and its societal impacts, including AI ethics, cybersecurity, and algorithmic transparency.

• “Artificial Intelligence: Between Promise and Threat” by Seolito Rodriguez: This book provides a balanced view of AI, discussing its potential benefits and threats to humanity.

• “AI, Invisible Danger: 10 Threats of Artificial Intelligence to Humanity” by Diego Villalba: The author outlines ten specific threats AI could pose to humanity, offering a critical perspective on the unchecked development of these technologies.

These books can be found on Amazon in their paperback versions, for Kindle, or as audiobooks with an Audible subscription.

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Movies and Documentaries About Artificial Intelligence

• 2001: A Space Odyssey: Directed by Stanley Kubrick, this sci-fi masterpiece explores human evolution and artificial intelligence through the enigmatic supercomputer H.A.L. 9000.

• A.I. Artificial Intelligence: A heartwarming story directed by Steven Spielberg, following David, a robotic child programmed to love, on his quest to become an actual human.

• Alice: Starring Megan Fox, this futuristic horror film tells the story of an android designed to serve a family who develops self-awareness with deadly consequences.

• Parallel Minds: Shortly, a company will develop a contact lens capable of recording and replicating human memories. Following the murder of a researcher, an intriguing investigation unfolds, exploring the limits of technology and memory.

• Her: A profound exploration of human relationships and technology, where a man develops a romantic relationship with an advanced AI-powered operating system.