The Infestation of A.I. in Our Community
Author’s Note:
In an effort to evoke positive change in our neighborhoods, this article deviates from the standard form. I maintain a strong belief in keeping the Minnetonka Minute platform exclusively upbeat and aligned with the best interests of the greater Lake Minnetonka community. That being said, sometimes these desires clash. In which case, the latter prevails.
In a time of ever evolving routes of commerce, communication, and interaction, the casual involvement of Artificial Intelligence in daily life may seem wholly inevitable. While this may be the case in some sects of life, namely professional, it need not be so for the way in which we interact with our fellow neighbor.
Lake Minnetonka’s cultural scene is, in large part, determined by its community’s strong online presence via social media and its sense of togetherness. On Facebook alone, the locale is represented in no less than four major Facebook groups which boast over 10,000 members each. These groups see dozens of unique posts each week and innumerable figures who make themselves household names of the community through their excellence in a given field, be it photography, authorship, enterprise, artwork, etcetera. Yet in the background, and often without much notice paid, Artificial Intelligence has extended its sooty hand deeper into our most foundational symposiums. . .
Some group leaders have opted to use A.I. to bolster engagement via creating hollow quizzical posts which garner replies lost to the algorithm’s deadened eye. Some in the community take note and, fruitlessly, point out the fake postings while others reply in earnest without noticing the void from which the query stems. Likewise, A.I. has been seen tweaking photos of our landscapes, businesses, foods, and more. An act which serves only to falsify the experience which we come to expect and are, inevitably, somewhat disappointed by the result of. In a matter of phrasing, it dulls our senses to the reality of the world.
Potentially more dangerous, Artificial Intelligence continues to proliferate information into our historical scene which is so riddled with errors as to be considered nearer to fiction than fact. The dissemination of “historical” articles which rely entirely on A.I. prompts cause issues which are two-pronged: Firstly, inaccuracy begets inaccuracy. A.I. presents information which it believes is fact but, in actuality, is simply an amalgamation of data which can scarcely be sourced with any reliable accuracy. This is especially true in the field of local history which is sparsely available online. Secondly, its ease of creation and publication serves to enshroud the diligent and meticulous works which true historians have curated for future generations to build upon. In the local history scene, cross referencing is difficult enough already, without mention of data now tainted with prolific lies which future generations will be forced to muddle through.
How, then, can we as community members band together to stave off the onslaught of A.I. slop infecting our neighborhood forums? Keen awareness, outcry against offenders, and shunning of its use altogether. Social media makes this all the easier in that it often openly states whether a given page is “AI enabled” or “uses AI”. As well for historical articles, the overuse of bullet point lists, broad statements, emojis, and suspicious inaccuracies may make it easier to determine authenticity from deception. Through these efforts, it is safe to say that these dubious “authors” might be easily plucked out like weeds in a garden. Similarly, it can only be done by conscientious intent to sleuth out the shameful practice.
Lake Minnetonka has long been a community of excellence which deserves more than the drivel spewed by the use of Artificial Intelligence, and is high time that its users are rightfully characterized as those who can't be bothered to uphold a moral standard.
In this effort, perseverance wins the day.
Skip the A.I. slop and discover Lake Minnetonka’s deep history through the lens of human connection.
