Rise of the AI Culture
Approximately a year and a half ago, AI became a trending topic, and all of us were beaming with energy and hope. The clashes between AI supporters and pragmatists buzzed around like bees in spring. Now, having seen multiple iterations, versions, and companies, AI has become a household name, almost like a casual dinner topic amongst all ages. The latest technology is sure to provide medicine names for grandpa’s hypochondriac searches, and it can also provide a simple recipe for the next day’s quick lunch. Yet, one thing is very clear: AI taking over humans is still a far-fetched idea.
Although we are, at the moment, safe from the technological urge of mankind, we are not completely untouched by its sorcery. Some of you may object to the use of the word sorcery in terms of something so scientifically proven. But, when has science truly and accurately made predictions of cultural changes happening in real time? That’s the topic for this read.
How is AI shaping the next generation?
That’s a loaded question, isn’t it? The crux of the matter is, actually, quite simple. Humans make civilisations, stories keep the civilisations alive, and language connects multiple civilisations with carefully woven stories. Each civilisation is unique, and every language plays a vital role for its people.
But that changes when one particular language begins to overpower all other languages. For example, the Japanese have a word for broken and mended artefacts. It’s called ‘Kintsugi’. Kintsugi elevates the beauty and value of the artefacts even though they were broken. The word contains a unique story within its finite letters and honours the artefact’s sacrifice and journey. The English language has no direct translation for this word. I guess, maybe it lacks the panache and intricacy that several languages around the world so beautifully express.
But when a chosen few civilisations hold the power to shape the future of AI technology with undeniable riches and resources, other beautiful languages suffer collateral damage. It is widely believed that Sanskrit is a higher language that holds the secret to many natural as well as man-made languages. But Sanskrit itself has a handful of speakers who truly understand and use it. Similarly, when large language models or LLMs are trained in one language, the beauty of other languages is lost.
Understanding LLMs
Consider, for example, if an Asian language with Sanskrit or Persian roots is taught in English with Greek and Latin roots, will the student ever be fluent in that Asian language? A language is only considered fluent when one can think in that particular language. But if AI is being trained on data generated in English and is taught other languages with English at its core, will AI ever be fluent in any other language?
The experiences become Westernised, the concepts that were once novel and culturally unique are lost, and the Western concepts seep into different unique cultures, slowly eating away at the next generations like termites.
For an AI to be able to learn any new language and understand the nuances of any civilisation, it has to be trained on unique, area and culture-specific data. This responsibility lies upon the shoulders of those big corporations that invest millions in AI development. AI is also, however, self-learning. Therefore, it is also our responsibility as users to protect our language and thus our unique civilisations.
It is more important than ever to find our roots and be proud of who we are. We must learn the rich history of our ancestors, speak the language they have given us, and preserve the unique stories of our lives. Because, though we may be lost with time, our legacy must live on!
Our role
In this age of technology, we must all ask ourselves: What can our contribution be to its advancement? It’s simple!
- When you converse with AI, use your native language, even when AI is not that great at using the same language. It will help the AI learn better from the native users. It’s a simple law of learning and letting learn!
- Share your culture, history, and stories with the world. Every story has the magic to empower or teach something important.
- Be proud and positive of your experiences with AI. You may not always have a great experience working with technology, but take that as a lesson and share the feedback positively. Every bit of information can change the way things work.
- Communicate! Do it with technology, with the help of technology, and with your fellow humans. Because that is what makes us unique from the rest of the animal kingdom.
- Learn from the mistakes made by AI and teach from the mistakes that you learned from.
- Most importantly, challenge! Challenge the technology at every turn to prove that it is still you who makes and breaks civilisations!
We, as advanced humans, have a great responsibility thrust upon us. History may not remember our names. We may not be the great kings who fought great battles. But we will still live on through our stories, memories, and languages. Our next generations will thank us for preserving the goldmine of words. Our languages are beautiful, magical, and powerful. It is time that we learned to wield them like a warrior with their swords. But this time, we must fight to preserve our culture from the technological invasion.
Article By: Gauri D.
