I am ethically and morally opposed to gen AI as a concept. As far as the breaking point, let me explain. I’ve been a machinist for ~18 years. It’s been really bad for the last 9 years and I’ve more or less had to live off of savings from the good years (those savings are basically gone).

I’ve just recently gotten legitimate job offers for ~$125 an hour remote because I own a CNC. The catch is that I have to record all of the CAM programming and machine time in order to train an AI to replace potentially hundreds of thousands of jobs.

This fucking sucks. I’d love to sit on my ass forever at 43, but I absolutely fucking hate the potential that I could bring that would crush the working class and elevate the owning class.

I wish it wasn’t this hard, because I really do believe in socialism and have labored hard for a long time to make it happen - but there’s a chance I can put everything I have into true anarchism cause and make a legitimate difference.

Please help.

    • Lyrial@lemmy.sdf.orgOP
      101·
      1 day ago

      Ok, thanks for that - but that’s an hour-long video. I’m busy trying to keep my laptop from melting. Is there a tl;dw?

      • eleijeep@piefed.socialEnglish
        4·
        1 day ago

        I just watched her “Final Thoughts” section and I think the key message is:

        The world today is scary. The current direction of the tech industry is scary. The horrifying ways in which the rise of fascism in the United States is intertwined with the proliferation of AI is fucking scary. And I feel all that anxiety that the AI ethicist lady and so many of you are feeling.

        And I don’t want us to be doomers about this. If you’ve seen anything I’ve ever made about politics, then you know how stubbornly hopeful I am about our potential to work towards a better future, no matter how cataclysmically dire things may seem at present. (And when it comes to AI, shit be looking dire). But I am begging you to please direct that anxiety or rage or whatever it is you’re feeling towards the systems that are causing the problems. The companies that are profiting off dangerous technology built at the expense of our environment and communities. The governments that are allowing this in exchange for more powerful military and surveillance capabilities. And the systems that make people so atomized and desperate that they’re willing to use it even given the immense harm we all know it causes.

        So let’s get educated and let’s educate. Let’s organize and let’s resist. But let’s also have some empathy. Let’s offer support rather than shun. Let’s direct our anger up and not across. Because if we want any chance of pushing back on the technofascist empires trying to take over our lives, we need to do it together.

      • jaschop@awful.systems
        2·
        1 day ago

        For me the good points were about avoiding unhelpful purism and being compassionate with people who were pushed to using genAI for understandable reasons. I found it helpful for being patient with loved ones who aren’t quite the firebrand that I am.

        As far as your problem is concerned, I’d say don’t bother. If you are forced to interact with AI for economic reasons, I think it’s healthier to be proper pissed about it rather than some forced conciliatory bullshit.

        • KimLuff@lemmy.blahaj.zone
          1·
          4 hours ago

          You’re writing “don’t resist” in pretty cursive to me. You can and should strike from AI jobs. The overton window is so far to the right we are unironically treating strikers like they’re puritans and scabs like subjects of compassion smh

          • jaschop@awful.systems
            1·
            3 hours ago

            That’s a cool comment from an alternate universe where there is both a strong social consensus and sufficient strike funds to wage labour action against the use of AI for work. Sounds nice over there.

            Of course you should resist. I would prefer it if OP wouldn’t sell out his data for AI training, but I can’t reasonably demand that he would rather become destitute than support AI. Especially if he is dying on this hill farily alone.

            While there may be popular opposition against AI datacenters, the same can not be said for the encroachment of AI on society in general. Many of the people we would need for a mass anti-AI movement are compromised by “convenient” chatbots or income based on the AI bubble. This will not be the case forever, but you need to realize when the cultural force is not behind you and shape your resistance accordingly. Right now that may mean, lay low, consolidate your allies, persuade people, and be ready for when this stupid doomed technofash project collapses under its own weight.

            • KimLuff@lemmy.blahaj.zone
              1·
              3 hours ago

              I live without AI perfectly fine but gaslight away. So do the people in my life. Plenty of them have jobs where they never use AI because they never used AI and always resisted it and so don’t have to. I’ve seen it with my eyes, you’re just weak and scared of living without AI

              • jaschop@awful.systems
                1·
                2 hours ago

                My guy/gal/goyle, I do in fact not use LLMs. Avoid them like the plague and encourage everyone I know to do the same. I also use Linux, self-host, own a non-Android/Apple phone, and (most shamefully) post on the threadiverse. I am also aware that the averagely IT-savvy person would have no fucking clue what any of that means.

                If your circle is tech-progressive, I am happy for you. But maybe go read a statistic about general AI adoption, and have a think what it would take to move the needle on public opinion there. I agree that slop bros need some shaming, but coming off preachy and elitist doesn’t do us any good.

                • KimLuff@lemmy.blahaj.zone
                  1·
                  1 hour ago

                  You’re bending the knee because of an article you read. To me that’s so sad and pathetic. You are genuinely such a poser.

                  Also I have yet to see it and that data is manufactured by businesses with interests, obviously. Everyone I know IRL to a 99% ratio (and I know a lot of people) hate AI and don’t use it and we all encourage each other to do the same. It started from a place of disagreement and protest. Rocking the boat. You HAVE to do it

                  • jaschop@awful.systems
                    1·
                    59 minutes ago

                    Well fine, if you wanna ninja-edit… I can’t find a stat right now and many do try to fluff AI, but I think some of the numbers can be trusted. My vibe assessment was that sometimes- and often-users make up 50-60% here (DE). This fits my social experience. My area is probably more conservative than yours.

                  • jaschop@awful.systems
                    1·
                    58 minutes ago

                    You’re bending the knee because of an article you read. To me that’s so sad and pathetic.

                    You’re holding frame very well. I’ll remember that response for the next time someone waves a statistic at me.

                    The argument will have to rest until you can appreciate how utterly I am world-weariness-mogging you right now.

    • jaschop@awful.systems
      4·
      1 day ago

      I don’t think AI is going away by not using it.

      I don’t agree this is what the video said. It’s about compassion and little steps to untangle people’s brains from LLMs. In no way does that imply, that not using LLMs yourself is not the superior option. (Notwithstanding economic pressures like OP was describing)