Nightmare on AI street: PAI’s Horror Index

This Halloween we’re taking a look at the ghost in the machine, AI, and dissecting what makes it truly terrifying. In this completely unscientific (but potentially accurate) AI Horror Index, we have charted the least terrifying to the most terrifying scenarios in AI and how likely they are to occur.

Dancing Animal Memes

Although dancing cats may be off-putting, they can sometimes be cute. . . or at the very least entertaining.

Dead Internet Theory

Once believed to be just a crazy conspiracy, the dead internet theory asserts that the internet has become filled with bots and AI generated content with the goal of mass social manipulation. Some argue the conspiracy is no longer that far off from reality.

Model Collapse

If an AI model is only as good as the data it’s trained on what happens when the data runs out and all that is left is AI slop? A real ouroboros situation — model collapse can have lasting impacts on knowledge, information, and society.

AI Cyberattacks

AI’s pervasiveness has made it easier than ever for bad guys to gain access to tools that help them carry out attacks. Although uncommon for now, incidents of AI being used for malicious purposes are popping up.

AI Companions

Turning to AI for help with a loneliness epidemic on the rise may sound like a good idea. However, we still don’t know the long-term societal effects of relying heavily on AI for friendship on children and other vulnerable groups.

Autonomous Vehicles

Self-driving cars have always been a symbol of the future but as trust in AI systems erodes, so, too, does our trust in fully autonomous vehicles. Many Americans say they would not want to ride in a driverless car any time soon.

AI Taking Your Job

As AI gets better at automation and makes workflows more efficient, many people are concerned about the resulting job loss. Even Federal Reserve Chairman, Jerome Powell, noted the effects of AI on the U.S. job market.

Hallucinations

Some people think AI tools are a source of truth, after all they are trained on large swaths of data; but AI tools cannot decide what is true and what is false. They sometimes make stuff up. It’s not so scary if you get wrong information when doing homework but it can be really scary if your AI therapist starts hallucinating.

Digital Sweatshops

We know AI is trained on large swaths of data but did you know that there are people who label, categorize, and moderate that data and information to make it usable for AI systems? Their poor working conditions and low wages would give anyone a real fright.

Deepfake Scam Calls

We’ve all been cautioned against scam callers trying to get our bank information but what if the scam caller uses a deepfake of your child’s voice to tell you they’re being held for ransom? A quick check-in with your child can help you realize it’s a scam but in that first moment it can seem pretty terrifying.

Election Interference

From robocalls to deepfakes, AI has been used to try to sway elections. It hasn’t succeeded at expected levels just yet, but as the technology gets better it will likely have significant consequences for future elections.

The Matrix

A world created by machines where humans have no autonomy, are enslaved, and their bioelectricity is harvested. . . enough said.

Automated Surveillance

Sure automated surveillance sounds like a good idea. . . unless you are a person of color. . . or a woman. . . or the AI starts hallucinating. You better hope AI believes you are innocent until proven guilty.

Environmental Impact of Server Farms

While AI has the potential to positively transform the world, it also has the power to destroy it. The energy required to power these tools is immense and the long term environmental impacts have yet to be felt, but they’re coming. . . soon.

Non Consensual Intimate Imagery

Although sharing Non Consensual Intimate Imagery isn’t new, AI is being used to make a terrible thing worse. Bad people can now use generative AI to create deepfake porn and share it at an alarming rate.

Roko’s Basilisk

Imagine a world where a super-AI rules. . . and punishes anyone who knew of its potential existence but did not help to bring it into existence. . .