To be honest, this development is simply the logical consequence of applying the principle of profit maximization.
Unfortunately, technology has now reached such a scale that the people behind the spreadsheets are willing to sacrifice humanity itself.
That, too, is not surprising, because they will only realize their mistake when it is already too late.
Another example of the same principle is climate change.
Well, in one respect it’s humans - always humans - that cause destruction in one way. Even if some of us try, like backing a carbon offset program that plants trees (in correct places that historically support trees), there’s the rich and powerful creating some other hyperfixation like fast fashion, space races, greed wars, religious wars and witch hunts like the one against AI to cock it up again
On the other hand, I as a builder of tech fucking hate what the obsession with AI has done to the current global economy, and how generative AI is a complete waste of existence as its meaningful use is dwarfed by its cost…
But I do see value in developmental AI, and while it’s little more than a standard algorithmic program with memory, parameters and developer bias, it is useful at doing some work better than us, and much faster. And since the dawn of humanity we’ve been inventing things to make life tasks easier. I do believe that form of AI will persist. In a way, vehemently opposing the AI programs that make calculations or accurate code is about as righteous as refusing to use a hammer to nail together some wood, or making fearmongering pamphlets about the advent of electrified cities.