Volume 18 Issue 3
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is here to stay; what we do with it will decide what the future looks like. Despite its sudden explosion, it isn't new, nor does it need to be scary. Its potential is impossible to ignore, and yet we must tread carefully.
Personally, I do not think AI spells the end of our days. If anything, the prospects of it making the world easier to live in are better. For aeons, humans have been guiding the planet to its destruction, and humans have been healing it too. AI learns from us, so what becomes of us because of it is, surprise or not, entirely dependent on what we teach it. It's no different than raising a spoilt child and expecting them to transform into a level-headed, equitable adult.
Our excellent authors also have a range of opinions on how good or bad things can get. On page 12, Matt Minshall reminds us that this is just another step in humankind's natural evolution. On page 68, Christine Jessup questions whether Al has the potential to become Frankenstein's monster. Lina Kolesnikova and Michael Kolatchev argue that a 'for-profit' approach might turn AI into a data and privacy problem, the nature of which remains to be seen.
AI is already making a mark on the world, and it's changing things for the better in some spaces. On page 76, Ekaterina Kostioukhina takes a look at how it can revolutionise the healthcare industry, while Evie Lunn explores how AI-powered virtual reality can help train humanitarian aid workers.
Despite its ever-persistent presence, AI isn't the only thing holding our attention. I would point readers towards Jeannie Barr's excellent discussion on the cost-of-living crisis and its effect on volunteering in the UK (page 23). Similarly, Jim Preen and Charlie Maclean-Bristol's back-to-back articles explore whether you should or shouldn't engage with the media in a crisis. Of special importance is Roger Gomm's dissection of the UK National Risk Register 2023.
This edition gave me much to think about, and I'm hoping the same will prove true for CRJ's readers.