Artificial Intelligence

In the closing of The Shallows, Carr talks about a program called ELIZA that was created by a man named Weizenbaum. This program was first created with the use of artificial intelligence to be able to analyze live stream of conversation and have the ability to appropriately respond. This program was the first to let people physically communicate with a computer. These types of programs are still used in today’s age where anyone can chat online to SmarterChild on AIM or now can even use an iPhone to talk to “Siri”. These types of artificial intelligences make me think how else the human brain can be manipulated into. If a computer can think, talk, and act like a human, what is our future going to come to? Carr also explains how some scientists wanted to use the program in order to talk and help treat mentally ill patients. The journal of nervous and mental disease said once, “[ELIZA could be] a therapeutic tool which can be made widely available to mental hospitals and psychiatric suffering a shortage of therapists” (205). If there were not enough therapists to help these patients, or if a specific patient needs more attention than others, ELIZA would be perfect because if physically replaces the human in the situation.

It is crazy to see how much technology is affecting our everyday lives. There is probably some type of tool or app that has been made in order to make life easier. Carr’s point in saying that we are addicted to technology is true. Without the internet, we would be productive, but a lot less efficient. Now with the program Siri on new iPhones, all you have to do is talk to it and all the work is done out for you. You can ask it for directions, a good place to eat, for the nearest gas station, or to call and text people whenever. Technology is advancing to the point where everything we need is legitimately at our fingertips without having to do much work to get it. Technology is developing so rapidly that it is almost becoming human. I never thought there would have been a day where my computer would ever be able to converse with me in a way that my friends could.

This technology that is being developed has made my life tremendously easier, but definitely has made me lazier. My parents always say, “I don’t understand how you are always on your phone, the computer, or watching something on tv?” I never thought anything of it until recently I was thinking the same thing? Why do I have this need to be using my phone or on Facebook somehow. The connection and technology is rather addicting and I feel like I need to stay connected with it for some unknown reason. It’s so easy to stay updated with friends through my phone or the internet. It has almost become a piece of me. Many people could probably say the same too though. That’s why this ELIZA program took off so well because there was that connection to technology, and partly a human being all at the same time.

-Alexandra O'Brien