Category Archives: technology

April 20, 2026 · 6:36 am

If YouTube Ads Are Bothering You, Use The Brave Browser

In general, I don’t overly recommend products that aren’t books I’ve written. Unless I ever get a legitimate sponsor, I will not just rave about certain products on this site in hopes of getting a share of the sales. That’s just not my style.

However, if I ever encounter a product that offers a genuinely useful service, I will single it out. I will give it my full recommendation. And I won’t ask for any money or commissions. That way, you can be certain that I’m not recommending it for selfish reasons.

This brings me directly to the Brave browser. Unless you’re tech savvy or work in IT, you probably haven’t heard of it. It’s a web browser in the same mold as Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. It wasn’t made by some existing tech company and it’s not one of those products that you see advertised in the mold of AI or car insurance. It’s entirely open source, which in technical terms means it’s basically the opposite of Apple. It was made from the ground up using code that’s available and not subject to lawsuits by overpaid lawyers. That also means it’s completely free. You download it right now and it costs you nothing.

And you should download it.

You should use Brave.

That’s because Brave is coded to emphasize two important features, privacy and ad-blocking. Privacy, in general, should be important to you. Even if you’re not big on conspiracy theories about the government spying on you, you should still be concerned about tech companies using your data to sell you dumb shit. Your data is valuable. To give it away for free is akin to giving a burglar a spare key to your back door. Brave was created specifically for those who take privacy seriously. You can still permit companies to gather your data, but Brave helps make sure it’s not taken without your concent.

But it’s the ad-blocking feature that really makes Brave valuable. I’ve always found the ads on numerous sites annoying. A lot of the sites I go to for comic book news have become enshitified to oblivion. Use most browsers and you’ll get this annoying window that demands you disable the pop-up blocker. And in some cases, you can’t close that window. So, the site becomes useless. Brave blocks that. It makes some of my favorite sites usable again.

But it’s YouTube where Brave shines the brightest.

I get that YouTube needs to run ads to make money. But the enshitification process has been accelerating a lot more in recent years. It’s at a point where even simple, benign videos are hit with unskippable ads for toilet cleaner and car insurance every 10 minutes. It’s so annoying that it ruins the experience. It was bad enough when I could skip the ads. Now, that’s happening less and less. I can easily foresee a future where YouTube just removes the skip feature altogether.

But Brave utilizes a powerful adblocker that, as of the time of this post, stops those ads. I’ve tested it out. I can confirm that it does indeed eliminate ads. Sometimes, it means videos take a big longer to load or stall at certain points. But at no point is it interrupted with shitty Liberty Mutual ads. That ensures the YouTube experience remains consistent. I know there’s the option of buying YouTube Premium. However, the price for that service just went up. And I expect it to keep going up, especially as the option to skip ads is limited.

So, if you can’t afford another subscription service like that, give Brave a try. I can’t guarantee that it’ll always block every ad. Tech companies are very motivated to circumvent browsers like Brave. At least for now, it’s a solid solution to an escalating problem and it has my full recommendation and endorsement.

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March 17, 2026 · 6:09 am

A Chinese Company Is Teaching Robots Kung Fu (And Why We Shouldn’t Be Afraid)

The past six years have been a remarkable, exciting, and somewhat disconcerting time for Artificial Intelligence. Since the rise of ChatGPT, it’s no longer the realm of science fiction and doomsday scenarios. It’s here. It’s already a multi-billion-dollar industry. It’s likely to become a trillion-dollar industry by the end of the decade.

I’ve certainly done plenty to make my opinions on the present and future of AI apparent. At the moment, AI is not close to become as smart or as capable as an average human. I still don’t think that capability is likely until the 2030s at the earliest. However, AI doesn’t need to be superintelligent in order to be useful. It can still do many amazing things as it evolves to that state.

Now, we can officially add Kung Fu to that list. In a video posted by Unitree, a Chinese robotics company, we’ve actually created a robot with the dexterity and capabilities that allow it to do Kung Fu.

Thus far, there’s no indication that this is a hoax, CGI, or some guy in a suit. This is real. This is an actual robot doing Kung Fu.

Now, before you start making Terminator or Skynet jokes, take comfort in knowing that this robot is not running on pure AI. It’s more likely that it’s simply following a set of scripted moves that were pre-programmed. The fact that the video also has some obvious cuts for editing indicate that its operation was less than perfect.

Even so, let’s at least agree it’s inherently awesome, as a concept. Seriously, it’s a robot doing Kung Fu! If you can’t find any joy or astonishment in that, then you’re just being fatalistic.

Also, in terms of AI that should seriously concern you, this isn’t it. A robot like this has some serious limitations that aren’t going to be overcome anytime soon. Beyond the fact that it can only work on pre-programmed moves means it’s not a threat to anyone, regardless of their fighting experience. At most, it’s just a cool demonstration of how far robotics technology has progressed.

It’s also a technology that is likely to develop alongside artificial intelligence. We’ve had robots for decades, but their usage is limited to a narrow range of tasks. Pre-programming a robot, be it a human android or an arm, is not that difficult. There are robotics labs for high school students in some areas.

For now, that’s more than enough to make robots useful. They can function perfectly well in certain industries and even as toys for kids. They really don’t need advanced AI to be functional at the moment.

That is most likely to change in the coming years. A robot with the dexterity and reflexes to do Kung Fu would be very useful if it could also have a measure of general intelligence. Such a robot wouldn’t be restricted to one pre-programmed task. It could actually learn a whole host of tasks, which would make it useful in any number of industries, including a few in which robots have never ventured.

That time is likely coming in the near future, but it’s hard to say when. I still believe robots need a ChatGPT-like moment to really enter the mainstream. But with companies like Unitree pushing their capabilities to new lengths, it’s possible that moment will come sooner rather than later.

And when it does, we’ll have far more pressing concerns than a robot’s ability to do Kung Fu.

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March 1, 2026 · 7:46 am

Why The Internet Was NOT A Mistake

This is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World.

In these cynical days, it’s become common for people to claim the internet was a mistake. It’s blamed for all the worst parts of our current state of affairs. It makes us hate each other. It locks us into our screens. And it brings out our worst selves.

I call bullshit on all of it. The internet was NOT a mistake. And in this video, I explain why.

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January 10, 2026 · 7:29 am

Why Frustration With Subscription Services Will Enable (And Necessitate) Piracy

A while back, I looked into purchasing some new software that would help me make better videos for my YouTube channel, Jack’s World. I know that’s a common issue among aspiring content creators, finding the right software to help them make what they want to make at a certain quality. But over the course of this search, I came to two frustrating realizations.

First, there are an astonishing number of incredible and useful tools to make all kinds of content, be it videos, music, or images.

Second, every one of these tools require a regular subscription to use and the cost ads up a lot, especially if you want to utilize certain features.

Now, I’m very much aware of just how prevalent the subscription model has become for so many services. I concede that I have multiple subscriptions for streaming services, as well as a few web services that I prefer not to name. But I was not aware of just how much everything, from software tools to even features on certain cars, require a goddamn subscription.

I know I’m not the first person to complain about this. You don’t need to look hard to find consumers at all levels voicing their anger about how many subscription services are necessary these days, from broadband internet to streaming media that’s now more expensive than cable ever was. But none of that anger seems to be impacting anything.

Companies of all kinds are still looking for ways to turn a one-time purchase into a never-ending subscription. You can ascribe that to pure greed, annoying trends, or a dystopian manifestation of late-stage capitalism. It really doesn’t matter what’s driving it. It still sucks.

I quickly realized that I literally cannot upgrade my current video editing software without spending hundreds of dollars annually just to access that software. I can’t even walk into an electronics store, buy disk or access code, and download the software as a one-time purchase. I can only ever buy a limited subscription or a “free trial” version that is basically the most useless version of the software.

For someone like me, who doesn’t have the budget to pay hundreds of dollars every year for professional grade software, that’s not just frustrating. It’s infuriating. It’s effectively bars me from ever making content that’s polished beyond a certain point.

That’s not to say I’m completely devoid of options. There are open-source alternatives to certain software programs. I’ve even tried a few of them. But I’ve yet to find one that matches the functionality of the consumer-based versions I’ve used for years. Hopefully, that changes at some point. If I find an open-source software for editing videos that works just as well as what I’m using, I’ll jump at the chance to switch to it. But for now, I’m stuck with what I have.

In addition, I came across something else in my effort that’s worth sharing. In searching for a free or cheap alternative to video editing software, I also came across quite a few sites that basically pirate that software. Now, for reasons I hope are obvious, I’m not going to share the names of those sites or where I found them. But I imagine I’m not the only one who came across them while looking for better software.

And unless you’re really tech savvy and have some damn good anti-spyware software on your computer, I do not recommend using those sites to get pirated software. This is not like the days of Napster and Limewire. The kind of malware you’re likely to get from these sites is dangerous and not just in terms of flooding your computer with spam.

But those same sites, some of which had domains located outside the United States and Europe, probably provide a much easier method towards obtaining software or media of any kind. There’s no need for credit cards or creating accounts. And if you ever do need to pay for something, it’s often done in cryptocurrencies. But even with the risk that comes from that, the price is far lower than what most software companies are charging.

I found one particular well-known software that was 1/5th the price from the retail version. And they accepted crypto as payment.

Even if you’re not good at math or finance, you can still understand the concept of price gouging. And when it comes to software and media, it feels exceedingly egregious. It’s not like making these products requires rare Earth metals or some kind of expensive manufacturing process. They’re lines of computer code stored on computers, easily copied for pennies and distributed for pennies more. So, having to pay more than $100 a year just to access them feels like a bad deal.

And if that gap continues to grow, then you can assume piracy won’t just become more tempting to the average consumer. It’ll become preferable. If people feel like they’re getting gouged, then they’re not going to feel bad from stealing from a company, especially if they don’t even sell you something physical. I don’t doubt companies will fight this, as they’ve always fought piracy. But take it from someone who remembers the days of Napster. That’s a losing battle in the long run.

But that battle is still playing out. And in the meantime, I still find myself stuck with software that’s becoming increasingly outdated. I’ll still make the most of what I have. But I’m already at a point where I will go to any length to avoid another subscription to my monthly bill. And if the situation continues getting worse, then that’ll just be another middle finger to customers and a never-ending gift to piracy.

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October 2, 2025 · 7:01 am

The First (But Not Last) AI Actress Is A Thing

Have you heard of Tilly Norwood? She’s a beautiful young actress who is just starting to make her presence felt in Hollywood. She hasn’t been in much, but she’s already negotiating with talent agents to get bigger roles.

There’s just one major issue. Tilly Norwood isn’t a real person. She’s an entirely AI-generated persona.

Naturally, that doesn’t sit well with real life actors and unions. There is already a concerted effort to prevent Tilly Norwood from being cast in anything beyond your typical AI slop content. I completely understand this sentiment. I don’t blame anyone who works in Hollywood for being concerned about this. However, having covered the rise in AI for years, I’m comfortable making this prediction.

Tilly Norwood will eventually be cast in major movies and TV shows.

Other AI actors like her will be cast, as well.

Traditional actors and actresses will hate it. A sizable chunk of the audience will hate it as well. But this is going to happen. It was always going to happen the moment generative AI reached a certain level of refinement. A big reason for that involves money, as tends to be the case in Hollywood and most other industries. But there’s another reason that’s worth highlighting.

Dollar for dollar, movies and TV shows are getting more expensive to produce. This isn’t just due to inflation, unions, and the “personalities” that tend to comes with Hollywood. The logistics involved with making media has become bloated and inefficient. We’re no longer in an era in which media can only go through certain channels, be it TV and movie theaters. Thanks to streaming media, as well as online content like YouTube and Tiktok, the competition for eyeballs has never been greater.

Unless you’re a big budget blockbuster with a massive distribution network, such as Disney or Warner Bros., it’s harder to make content that turns a profit. The scale, resources, and personnel required to produce a movie or show is such that it’s limiting. Add to that the general enshitification of streaming media and the current model for producing content just isn’t sustainable.

Generative AI, as much as it is derided, offers a significant cost advantage. On top of that, an AI actor or actress is less likely to get accused of harassment, arrested for public intoxication, or go on some anti-sematic rant during a routine traffic stop. And for certain Hollywood agents, you can’t put a price on that kind of assurance.

But the question remains. Will audiences accept AI actors? Will the content they produce actually be worth watching?

A lot of people will probably refuse to watch anything with Tilly Norwood or anything like her out of principle. But what happens when AI gets to a point where it’s hard to tell if a person is AI generated? There are already AI tools like SORA and Veo3 that make extremely realistic videos of people who look and sound real. This is one element of AI that is not in the distant future. It’s here and it’s evolving fast.

It’s not yet clear what kind of career Tilly Norwood will have. She may never show up in anything mainstream. But like it or not, she marks the first step in a new trend with AI. We don’t know where it will lead. Hollywood is already undergoing significant change. Technology like this is only going to accelerate that change in ways we can’t imagine.

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July 10, 2025 · 6:20 am

My Excitement (And Hopes) For Buying My First New Car

I’ve never been much of a “car guy.” I’m not someone who gives much thought or passion to whatever I’m driving. To me, my car is just my car. It’s my way of getting around. Given where I live, it’s painfully necessary. Public transportation is present, but woefully inadequate.

Simply put, I need to have a car. And I’ve never cared much for style or features. I only care that it runs.

As a result, I’ve only ever owned two cars in my adult life. Both were bought used and with a fair amount of miles on them. My first car was a used Buick. It wasn’t pretty and it had few features, aside from air conditioning. But the previous owner hadn’t driven it much and it was fairly reliable. So, I drove that for years.

My second car was actually my parents’ old car. It was a Honda sedan and had far better features than my Buick, such as seat warmers, a GPS navigation system, and an AC that actually worked on hot days. After putting well over 60,000 miles on it, they sought to sell it and trade up for a new one. When I expressed interest, they gladly accommodated me. They even gave me a nice discount.

I’ve been driving that car ever since. And it has definitely shown its age. It’s so old that it still has a 6-CD changer. It’s also had increasingly expensive repair bills in recent years. It’s at a point where keeping it for much longer is going to be costlier than buying a new car.

And that’s why I’m genuinely excited about my next car. Because for once, I’m not just looking for something that runs. I’m looking to purchase a new car off the lot for the first time in my life.

That may not sound like such a novel concept. But since I’m not being a car guy, it’s going to be a new experience for me. I’ve been saving up money for quite some time now. I may not be able to afford anything luxurious, but I should be able to buy something that’s decent, up-to-date, and has features appropriate for this decade.

In addition, I hope that buying a new car will help change another perspective I’ve developed over the years. In general, I do not like long drives. If any trip means driving for more than two hours at most, I look for alternatives. It’s not that I can’t endure those drives. I just prefer not to.

I don’t know if it’s because of the cars I drive or if it’s just how I’m wired. But if I’m driving for more than a couple hours, my back starts hurting and so does my right shoulder. It becomes so painful and strenuous that I have to pull over at times, just to stretch. I also get very anxious when stuck in traffic, more so than most people.

Perhaps a new car with better seats and better features will change that. Maybe a car that has adaptive cruise control will make longer drives less strenuous and more enjoyable. Maybe I would be more inclined to go on more trips and visit more loved ones. In my area, I don’t live too far from major train stations. But the schedule is limited and the service isn’t always reliable. If a new car can change that, then maybe that’ll change how I approach other things in my life.

That’s my primary hope for this car. A part of me also hopes this is the last car I’ll ever buy. Because by the time I’m ready to let it go, self-driving cars will have advanced enough to make that unnecessary. But those hopes are remote. Unless I move somewhere with vastly better public transportation, I’ll likely need a car for many years to come.

I don’t need it to be fancy, futuristic, or big. I just need it to be reliable and comfortable. That way, I can see driving as less of a strain and more of a simple chore. If that opens up other opportunities along the way, then that’s just a nice bonus.

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May 30, 2025 · 7:02 am

The James Webb Telescope MIGHT Have Discovered Extraterrestrial Life (And What It Could Mean For Humanity)

Even if you’re not an avid fan or regular consumer of science fiction, the prospect of discovering extraterrestrial life is intriguing. I believe that, on some level, we want to discover beyond any reasonable doubt that we’re not alone in the universe. Given the sheer size and breadth of the universe, the idea that we’re the only intelligent species just doesn’t sit well.

And it’s largely because of that same size and breadth that most scientists agree. The odds are very likely that there’s life in the universe beyond Earth. It’s not a total certainty. It’s largely derived from the law of averages. Since we started discovering extrasolar planets, the opportunities for life to emerge throughout the universe are vast. It’s just a matter of finding one other instance where the right circumstances were in place.

That effort has been frustrating and prone to plenty of cynicism. But thanks to better technology and tools, namely the James Webb Telescope, science finally has an effective means of studying extrasolar planets in greater detail. Given the vast distances, there’s an inherent challenge to gathering adequate data. But with each advancement and each discovery, we’re getting closer.

And in April 2025, the James Webb telescope discovered what might be the best evidence to date that life exists outside our planet. Granted, this evidence isn’t as cinematic as you’d get in a movie like “Contact.” But from a purely scientific standpoint, this is pretty damn compelling.

The planet in question is an explanet called K2-18b. It’s located approximately 124 light years from Earth, which is not that far in stellar terms. It’s also considerably bigger than Earth. In terms of mass, it’s over eight times larger and it orbits a red dwarf star, which are comparably smaller and cooler than our sun.

But it has been confirmed to be in the habitable zone of that star. It’s also suspected to be a hycean planet, which is basically an planet covered by oceans under a hydrogen atmosphere. Compared to any other planet in our solar system, this is truly an alien world.

And yet, the James Webb Telescope detected what appear to be chemical signatures for dimethyl sulphide and dimethyl disulphide, two chemicals only known to be produced by life. Now, that doesn’t mean that K2-18b is home to some advanced alien civilization. These chemicals are primarily produced by microbes. And at best, K2-18b could simply be an ocean world populated primarily by microbes.

Even if that ends up being the case, it’s still a remarkable discover. It’s still alien life that emerged entirely on another world. It would be definitive proof that life is not exclusive to Earth. And in terms of biological complexity, we are not alone.

Would this realization really shake humanity to its core?

Given the current state of the world, I think that’s expecting too much.

There’s no question that confirming that there’s life on another world would be an incredible discovery. It would definitely have some impact on how we see ourselves as a species. However, I think that impact would be very limited. Human beings barely understand the microbes that live in their gut or belly button. They probably wouldn’t give much thought to microbes on another planet.

It also wouldn’t confirm that there’s other intelligent life in the universe. It could very well be possible that microbial life is quite common in the universe. But intelligent life that’s on par or greater with humans is exceedingly rare or non-existant.

Personally, I don’t think that’s the case. I do believe there is intelligent extraterrestrial life in the universe. We just don’t have the tools, effort, or know-how to find it. Again, the universe is very big. We’ve barely searched our own galactic neighborhood, let alone the universe.

But discovering microbial life on another world might be a necessary step in that process. Simply confirming that life on other words is possible drastically increases the likelihood that intelligent life exists, as well. After all, Earth was once populated only by microbes. It took billions of years of evolution for humanity to evolve. And the universe has been around a lot longer than our solar system.

At the moment, this discovery hasn’t been confirmed. It may very well end up being wrong. But to date, this is the closest we’ve ever come to confirming life on other worlds. And even as our world feel like a chaotic mess, I think it provides a good and necessary perspective.

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April 29, 2025 · 5:37 am

Why People (Wrongly) Claim AI Art Is “Soulless”

This is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World.

There have been many concerns and criticisms regarding artificial intelligence. One area that has been impacted more than most involves art.

Generative AI has caused serious disruptions to the world of art. And in 2025, this became a much larger controversy with “Ghiblification” trend that began with Open AI. This has led to more vocal criticisms about AI art being “soulless” in nature.

However, that criticism is worth scrutinizing. And in this video, I attempt to offer what I feel is a more balanced perspective on this issue. Enjoy!

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April 10, 2025 · 8:09 am

A Brief Message To Owners Of A Tesla

First off, I get it.

I understand why you bought your Tesla. For a time, it was one of the coolest cars you could own. It was the first electric car that succeeded. It had so many forces working against it from the beginning. But it found a way to seize a sizeable chunk of the car market.

Without the Telsa, America’s current infrastructure for electric vehicles wouldn’t be where it’s at. It used to be exceedingly rare to see charging stations. Before 2020, I only ever saw them at truck stops and rest stops along major highways. Now, I see them pretty much everywhere, from shopping centers to malls to residential buildings.

That is a good thing, overall. We, as a society, should move away from gas powered vehicles. It’s not just better for the environment. These cars are simpler and easier to maintain, having fewer moving parts and points of failure. And with battery technology improving by leaps and bounds every year, electric vehicles are poised to become better than gas-powered cars in every measurable way.

All that being said, it’s worth remembering that owning a Tesla also means supporting a man like Elon Musk. As someone who used to admire the man, I don’t blame you for sharing that sentiment. He cultivated a brand on top of a cult of personality for years. But then, after COVID-19, he underwent a transformation that either changed him or simply revealed who he always was. And who he is now is not someone worth supporting.

He is not the real life version of Tony Stark.

He is not the man who will take us to the stars.

He’s a lying, thin-skinned, hypocritical, greedy narcassist who treats his workers like shit, breaks promises, and is so lacking in self-awareness that it’s dangerous.

The fact that this man now has access and power capable of undermining nations, wars, and peoples’ livelihoods should be cause for concern. To aid him is to enable a man who is so insecure, shallow, and dense that he won’t think twice about parroting Nazi talking points and racist conspiracy theories. That means he’s either so stupid that he doesn’t know the harm he’s doing or he’s always been a bigoted piece of shit and he’s just not hiding it anymore.

Whatever the case, owning and supporting Tesla will indirectly support him. That doesn’t mean you should try to sell your Tesla right now. If you bought it before you knew the kind of man that Musk was, then I don’t blame you. That’s not on you and you don’t deserve scorn for that.

However, if you bought your Tesla knowing this about him and actually want to support him, then I do blame you. You’re not just supporting an egotistical sociopath who would gladly burn the planet to a crisp if it meant saving his entitled ass. You’re actively helping make the world a worse place for everyone not rich, well-connected, and incapable of basic empathy.

What you choose to do with your Tesla, knowing who it’s supporting, is entirely up to you. I’ll continue supporting electric cars. I’m also actively rooting for other automakers to usurp Tesla’s dominance and tank the stock price of the company to which so much of Musk’s wealth is tied.

I’m also hoping his reactionary, Nazi-like antics catch up with him at some point. He might never go broke, but we can collectively make sure his name is reviled and scorned for generations to come. That might be the only way people like him ever face any consequences for what he does.

Lastly, if you actually bought a Tesla Truck, then you have no excuses. You’re either an idiot who got conned by a wannabe tech bro or you’re just a douche-bag who wants to let the world know it.

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August 29, 2024 · 6:50 am

Happy (Terminator) Judgement Day!

Today is August 29, 2024.

Officially, it’s just an ordinary day. It has no historical or legal significance of any kind.

But if you happen to be a serious movie buff, or a big fan of the Terminator franchise, it is the official canon date of Judgement Day. According to the events documented in “Terminator 2, Judgement Day,” Skynet became self-aware at 2:14 a.m., Eastern Standard Time, on August 29, 1997. Shortly afterwards, it launched a full-scale war on the whole of humanity.

While it is true that this date has fluctuated over the years due to numerous time travel anomalies and sub-par sequels, the August 29, 1997, date tends to be the most well-known and accepted. And in recent years, I think that date has become even more noteworthy and not just because it celebrates the greatest action movie of all time.

In recent years, artificial intelligence has emerged as something far greater than a standard movie trope. It is now a rapidly growing field, as well a multi-billion-dollar industry. I’ve discussed the possibilities in the past and tried to put more recent advancements like ChatGPT into a proper context. But even I have been astonished at how quickly artificial intelligence has gone from an intriguing possibility to something that’s very real.

At this very moment, anyone with an internet connection can utilize what is essentially a limited AI for various tasks in a manner that would’ve seemed like a futuristic dream less than 10 years ago. It’s very likely that in the next 10 years, AI will advance in plenty of other ways, some which we can’t possibly predict.

But these AI systems are nothing like Skynet. They’re very narrow in terms of their scope and capabilities. They’re not going to become self-aware or gain human-level intelligence. But make no mistake. At some point, we will have an AI that is as smart as an average human, if not smarter. This is not a technological feat that requires a huge breakthrough that defies or redefines physics. It’s largely an engineering and logistical challenge.

Whether it happens next year or several decades from now, it will happen. We will eventually create an AI that’s as capable and self-aware as Skynet. At that point, what happens next has been a huge point of contention and speculation.

Unless someone is stupid enough to give this future AI access to a nuclear weapons system, I don’t see it launching a full-scale nuclear war like Skynet did. Even if it wanted to, I doubt it would be given that level of access. That doesn’t mean it’ll be friendly. The first self-aware AI may very well be hostile in that it sees humanity as a threat. If it does choose to pursue conflict with us, that could result in some truly unprecedented dangers.

It’s unlikely it will manifest like the war we saw unfold in multiple Terminator movies. It’s also unlikely it’ll operate in any body that resembles Arnold Schwarzenegger. Whatever form it does ultimately take, it will still likely mark a turning point for technology and human history, as a whole.

Whether we call it Judgement Day, the technological singularity, Doomsday, or just another day that ends in Y, it’s a date we should take seriously. Because with all technology, there are risks and benefits. There are also best-case scenarios to go along with the worst case. “Terminator 2, Judgement Day” offered us a cinematic experience of how bad it can get if AI becomes hostile.

But we also shouldn’t let that obscure how good it could potentially be if utilized properly. I would even argue that, as the world continues to face unprecedented dangers and uncertainty, we need to advance AI. It might very well be our most important tool in solving critical issues having to do with climate change, medicine, ecological destruction, power generation, and surviving the eventual destruction of our planet.

As such, we should continue to proceed carefully. We should remain cautious as we journey into the future. As Sarah Conner once said, there is no fate but what we make. And when it comes to developing an AI that will eventually become self-aware, let’s make that fate a good one for everyone, be that human or machine.

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