Misinformation Threatens Society's Future: Black Mirror Creator Warns Of AI's Dark Side

The sixth season of the hit science fiction series Black Mirror is coming out very soon. Before the premiere, the show's creator Charlie Brooker sat with WIRED to discuss the use of AI within our futures.

Brooker explained how he attempted to create an episode of Black Mirror using ChatGPT, which he described as a "sh*t" experience. At the same time, Brooker shed light on the newly emerging concerns surrounding artificial intelligence and its impact on societies.

YouTube: The Guardian

Black Mirror's creator on AI

"Society¡¯s worries tend to shift over time: AI, climate change, and the threat of nuclear war¡­ Black Mirror has always been pretty good at predicting what the next thing we should worry about should be. What are you worried about now that we¡¯ll be worrying about in 10 years¡¯ time?" he said.

The Black Mirror creator referred to "disinformation" and "misinformation" as the biggest dangers of AI tools that can quickly generate content that looks convincing. The problem with fake news is that it proliferates as quickly as accurate news. If it spreads at a large scale, it can stoke social disharmony and has the potential to change how our societies operate, as we've come to see in the last few years.

Also read: Indians Optimistic About AI's Impact On Workplaces, Global Opinions Divided: Survey

Netflix

Referring to the long-term effects of AI, Brooker wondered "what people do when they're afraid and misinformed." He also spoke about the fake image of the Pope in a puffer jacket that went viral a few weeks ago. The picture was so convincing that an average user of the internet who is not trained to spot AI inconsistencies (like odd hands, fumbled details) would fall for them.

Brooker explained how this is testimony how AI may be weaponised, warning that it's "going to be coming very soon." "That's terrifying," he added, while claiming that many "gatekeepers" of AI technology don't seem to "give a sh*it or are actively encouraging it."

Netflix

Also read: The Beatles To Release New Song Created With Artificial Intelligence: Paul McCartney

"So that frightens me ¡ª what people do when they¡¯re afraid and misinformed. This is depressing isn¡¯t it? That is probably going to be our biggest challenge over the next 10 years."

What do you think about AI and the dangers embedded therein? Let us know in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.