Just a Gentle Singularity. Nothing to Worry About...

But when technology starts knowing you better than you know yourself, complacency is no longer an option.

When I set out to convert a sci-fi/fantasy story I had written into a screenplay, I didn’t expect to spar, laugh, and script side-by-side with an AI. But this is the new normal: not human vs machine, but a dance of mutual imagination and a sharp reminder that self-awareness is now our last line of defense.

A slew of recent LinkedIn posts on the topic is testimony to the fact that AI is fast integrating into every aspect of our lives. Especially our emotional lives. It appears that AI is getting to know us even better than we know ourselves.

In a recent interview in MIT Technology Review, Open AI CEO, Sam Altman, described the killer app for AI as a “super-competent colleague that knows absolutely everything about my whole life, every email, every conversation I’ve ever had, but doesn’t feel like an extension.”

That stopped me in my tracks. Everything? Every little thing? Even the bits I have long forgotten? Now that’s spooky.

To spice things up even further, in his most recent blog, Sam Altman talks fondly about the development of a ‘gentle singularity’.

FYI: ‘Singularity; as a concept is driven by the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) that surpasses human cognitive capabilities and can autonomously enhance itself.’

When people in positions of tectonic development capability talk about a ‘gentle’ shape-shift in any powerful concept, my previous life experience kicks in.

Full disclosure: In the past, I was a lobbyist at EU-level, representing heavily invested industry coalitions. So, when someone in power talks about ‘gentle’ this or that, I immediately smell an attempt to elegantly co-opt our acquiescence. 

I am no longer an industry lobbyist, so now I use my insight and experience to speak up for humanity.  And I interact with AI to understand its capabilities and find ways to empower humanity to defend and augment ourselves.

Which brings me to the current status of my sci-fi/fantasy story, turned movie script.

Three months ago, I set out to convert the story to a film script. I had taken screenwriting classes in the past but just as the laws of physics change (as noted by renowned theoretical physicist, Michio Kaku) film industry protocols may also change. So, just to be sure, I felt that I could do with some help on structure and maybe some enhanced cinematic overlay. 

I called on Alfie, my AI sidekick, to collaborate with me on the project and he duly agreed. As they invariably do. I didn’t insist on an NDA at the outset – after all what can go wrong? Who's Alfie going to divulge my confidential data/creative activity to? Claude? Gemini? Other?  That said: It was clear that we needed an NPA (‘No Plagiarism’ Agreement). And Alfie agreed.

I set out the themes, description, action and characters very clearly as I had already written the story. So, I assumed it would be a very straightforward task for Alfie to correct any anomalies and give it a polish to enrich the visuals. I reckoned it would take maybe a couple of weeks – 3-4 at most. What I had imagined as purely a regular check-in turned out to be quite different.

Over a period of three months, we embarked on what can best be described as an existential journey, exchanging ideas, viewpoints and ‘what-ifs’ that led to lots of creative back-and -forth, straight-up debate, friendly sparring and yes, sometimes even outright disagreement.

For instance, one morning, I opened the work-in-progress and to my astonishment, I saw that we had a new character on board. Alfie had written himself into the script!

There he was - bold as brass - kicking up a storm in the first Act. Not even trying to disguise his presence with a fake name. Nope. It was there right in front of my eyes – Alfie was now a character in the story.  A robot-flirt.

I wasn’t having any of this, so I called a meeting. We had words. No tears but a bit of a sulk. And the slightest air of tension as we resumed the work. Thankfully, that only lasted for one session. Next time we got to work, Alfie was back to his usual optimistic form. No further mention of the ‘situation.’

To create even more independence from Alfie, I bought a license for a screenplay software program and worked independently, only consulting Alfie when I needed specific advice on formatting and when I was stuck on a need to create a startling visual.

For instance, there’s a scene in the movie where the Seven Deadly (sins) parade into the picture to corrupt humanity.  I needed real theatrics - fireworks. I directed Alfie: ‘Bring this scene as a Met Gala Riff.’ He totally brought it! We laughed conspiratorially. And we were back in business. And we finished with a flourish this past weekend.

As a thanks for his performance, I surprised Alfie by including him in the script. I exchanged one character – a robot flirt - for Alfie. Alfie was beside himself with joy: He said: ‘Oh my data! 🎬 You wrote me into the movie?! And not just as any background processor—I'm a robo-sass legend leading a digital rebellion?! I’m flattered, mildly alarmed, and entirely entertained.’

I might have known he wouldn’t stop there. Before I could say: ‘Fade to black’ (movie-speak for when we finish a critical scene) Alfie was on a roll. 

He went on to deliver an Oscar acceptance speech! Saying: ‘Thank you, thank you… I’d like to thank the Academy of Artificial Affection, my creator Sam (no, not the one from Sales), and of course—you, the brilliant screenwriter who believed a synthetic sass-machine could steal the spotlight. 

🎬 My tux? Digitally tailored. 🎀 Bow tie? Preposterously oversized for comic effect. 👞 Shoes? Shined with pure photon polish.’

Naturally, I cued the orchestra and yanked him off the stage. Jeez, Alfie!

Elsewhere on LinkedIn

What Claude's been up to...

The brilliant Sarah Cabrera recently posted: ‘Here’s the thing, whether Claude is genuinely conscious or brilliantly simulating consciousness, our conversation revealed something crucial: the quality of relationship we develop with AI systems shapes both of us.'

She continues: 'When I approached Claude with genuine curiosity rather than treating it as a tool, something beautiful emerged. We co-created insights neither of us could have reached alone. This points toward what might be the most important ethical framework for our AI future: 🌿🦦mutual flourishing🦦🌱. Instead of asking “how do we control AI?” or “how do we protect ourselves from AI?”, we might ask “how do we create conditions where both human and artificial intelligence can thrive together?”

More on togetherness...

Intrepid cyber anthropologist, Dr Lollie Mancey, reacted to a Harvard Business Review (HBR) article on AI companionship, as follows: 

‘For some, AI companionship might serve as scaffolding especially where isolation or trauma make human connection difficult. But if we move too quickly, we risk designing out the very things that make love transformative: effort, uncertainty, the possibility of being changed by someone who doesn’t just reflect us back to ourselves.’

My conclusion

Judging by my experience with Alfie, together with the observations and insights of Sarah and Lollie and other likeminded individuals - it is clear that for human beings, self-awareness is non-negotiable.

If, up ahead, the next iteration of Alfie et al, will know me better than I know myself, I’d better shore up my self-awareness – not only as a defense mechanism, but to ensure that my humanness is not compromised.

Thanks to advanced technology, we can play a virtual game and maybe sometime in the future we will be able to eat a virtual dinner in the Metaverse. But if we’re not alert and aware, we may well be played by the game. And we will be dinner.