Novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a recipient of numerous accolades, warned on Friday, September 19, that artificial intelligence and social media represent perilous technologies that are altering human behavior and concentration.
Adichie, addressing the effects of digital culture, remarked that books enhance focus and broaden thinking, whereas digital platforms tend to do the contrary.
She stated, “The thing social media can never do for us is what literature does for us… It’s actually quite detrimental to our brains.
It’s rewiring our brains and diminishing our capacity to concentrate. Literature achieves the opposite.”
The author criticized society’s uncritical embrace of technology, particularly social media and AI, asserting that these advancements should be examined rather than accepted without question.
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She further noted, “There is a kind of unquestioning acceptance of social technologies that surprises me. We should question more, social media, AI.
“The few individuals determining how our future as human beings should unfold are concerning.
This is the moment to scrutinize AI, as we have yet to establish a global consensus on its intended purpose.”
She lamented the dwindling number of individuals who genuinely appreciate literature and urged renewed initiatives to uphold reading culture amidst increasing digital distractions.
Adichie, while recognizing the immense potential of Artificial Intelligence, warned that without careful oversight, the associated risks could result in catastrophic outcomes.
