By Michael F. Duggan, Ph.D.
I readily concede the promise and peril of AI, but as of now, it appears to be a real dumbass. I searched my 2023 article “The Progress of a Plague Species, a Theory of History,” just to see what artificial intelligence would make of it, and got this summary:
“”The Progress of a Plague Species, a Theory of History” is a concept that suggests major historical events and societal shifts can be significantly influenced by the spread and evolution of infectious diseases, particularly plagues, which act as a kind of “plague species” that can drastically alter population dynamics and social structures over time, often leading to major historical turning points.”
Talk about missing the point (which is that humans are a plague species, and that history should be interpreted in light of this). If an undergrad had written this synopsis, he/she would have gotten an F along with the comment: “Did you even read the article?”
Perhaps a better name for the new technology would be Artificial Stupidity and Misunderstanding.