WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND
By Scott Hennen
Host of “What’s On Your Mind?” Radio Show
heard on the Flag Family Network including KTGO 1090AM
in Watford City, Williston and Tioga, North Dakota
On my radio show, I hear from plenty of listeners who are not fans of artificial intelligence. They tell me it’s the technology that allows evil people to manipulate images - and they’re not wrong. Even here in North Dakota, we’ve seen tragic examples: innocent girls on a volleyball team having their faces matched with fake naked bodies and distributed to humiliate them. That is an appalling misuse of technology, and my heart breaks for the victims. But it’s important to understand - this isn’t something brand new. Bad actors have been misusing tools since the invention of the phone and Photoshop.
The truth is, AI is no different than the automobile, the airplane, or the telephone when they first arrived. Each of those world-changing innovations brought both good and bad. Cars created freedom but also accidents. Airplanes connected humanity but were also used in war. Electricity powered homes and hospitals - and sometimes powered the electric chair. Yet nobody would argue today that we should have turned away from those inventions because they posed risks. Progress always comes with a price, but the greater sin is refusing to move forward because of fear.
That’s where we are right now with artificial intelligence. We can’t let the fear of misuse stop us from recognizing its promise. AI is here to stay - and it’s here for good. The real question before us isn’t whether it will change the world, but who will lead that change. Will the United States of America embrace AI, shape it, and use it to strengthen our nation? Or will we let adversaries like China seize the upper hand and use it as a weapon against freedom-loving nations? Make no mistake: this is a race. A race to defend America as we know it. A race to keep this vital tool in our hands, not in the hands of those who wish us harm.
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