Food & Drink
Publisher’s Note: Created by AI? How can you tell?
Why there's little to fear from artificial intelligence
By Jonathan Sposato July 3, 2023
This article originally appeared in the July/August 2023 issue of Seattle magazine.
Dear Readers,
I hope this letter finds you in high spirits. As the publisher of Seattle magazine, it is my absolute delight to address a topic that has sparked both curiosity and concern: the fear that artificial intelligence (AI) will one day rise up and kill us all.
Fear not, because I’m here to assure you that the AI apocalypse seems far from reality. In fact, I’m pretty confident that AI won’t be plotting to overthrow humanity anytime soon because, quite frankly, AI has more important things to do.
Now, I won’t pretend that AI doesn’t come with its fair share of challenges. It is important to acknowledge that new technologies often bring challenges and uncertainties. Concerns regarding job displacement, ethical considerations, and privacy are valid and must be addressed. However, history has shown that humanity has always found a way to adapt and thrive in the face of change. By fostering open dialogue, collaboration, and proactive policymaking, we can ensure that AI remains a force for good, benefiting individuals, communities, and our planet as a whole.
In this special issue, we examine some of the very real ways AI technology is rapidly influencing our very own region.
In reality, AI is an ally. AI is revolutionizing industries like health care, transportation, and entertainment, making our lives better, safer, and more entertaining. And let’s not forget the countless hours it saves us from mundane tasks, allowing us to focus on the things that truly matter.
Thank you for being part of our wonderful Seattle magazine community. Let us embrace a future where AI is our ally, not our adversary. Let us foster a culture of responsible innovation, where the potential of AI is harnessed to solve global challenges, uplift marginalized communities, and create a more inclusive and sustainable society.
Together, we can shape a future where AI and humanity coexist harmoniously, building a world of boundless opportunities and shared prosperity. Your curiosity, engagement, and optimism fuel our collective journey toward a brighter tomorrow.
Gotcha? The entirety of the above letter was written by ChatGPT. In this special issue, we examine some of the very real ways AI technology is rapidly influencing a cross section of industries in our very own region. What better way to drive the point home than to open the magazine with a concrete display of its power, eloquence, and ability to beguile?
Granted, one could legitimately wonder if the optimism with which the AI algorithms try to dissuade us from fearing it is something that should give us all pause, but either way, I do hope you enjoy several of our feature pieces: “Dr. AI? Not so fast”; “Therapy by chatbot”; and my favorite, “When AI saves lives”. I assure you that these features, as well as the rest of this magazine, were written by real humans. The editorial and creative teams have again delivered on yet another fantastic issue. For a detailed explainer on the core components of AI and how they work together, see tech steward Petra Franklin’s piece here at seattlemag.com. Please enjoy!
About the Publisher’s Note Column
Publisher's Note is Seattle magazine owner Jonathan Sposato's highly subjective perspective on the issues that confront our community the most. Jonathan's mission with the publication is to focus our attention on solutions, and to change the conversation in Seattle to an always hopeful, positive, and productive place.
Follow Us
The Museum of Flight’s New Exhibit Explores Life in Orbit
The Museum of Flight’s New Exhibit Highlights the Wonder of Living in Space
[addtoany]The Museum of Flight’s immersive new exhibition, Home Beyond Earth, goes to the heart of living in a place somewhere between Earth and Moon. With a focus on space stations past, present and future, Home Beyond Earth visualizes our orbital dreams and accomplishments with large digital projections and more than 50 artifacts, models, space-flown objects and uniforms. To…
The Woman of Madison Avenue
Barbara Feigin overcame stereotypes and sexism to rise to the top of the Mad Men-era advertising world
When Feigin was just 2-years old, she fled Nazi Germany with her mother and Jewish father. They traveled across Russia by train and later departed Tokyo on a Japanese ship, eventually arriving on the shores of Seattle. They settled in Chehalis more than a month after leaving Berlin. This was in 1940. Raised in the
Debate, Devour, Divide
How weaponized language spreads disinformation
Now, those on the left are using it to attack one another. In these online spaces, people tend to panic at the idea of being part of the problem. As a result, they try to position themselves as champions of a very perfect model of social justice that quickly shuts down anyone who doesn’t fit.
Taking Shots From a Screen
Social media has become a hotbed of misinformation. It doesn’t have to be this way.
Porismata Borah, a social media expert at Washington State University, delves into media psychology. In a conversation with Seattle magazine, Borah, along with Mike Caulfield and Joseph Barnes, prominent Seattle social media experts, discusses the challenges in modern communication and the potential for meaningful conversations on online platforms.