The False Promises of AI
How tech companies are fooling us
In 1770, the Hungarian author and inventor Wolfgang von Kempelen introduced an automaton chess machine known as The Mechanical Turk. This device showcased its automated chess master skills across Europe, frequently emerging victorious in matches against human opponents. It even reputedly defeated notable figures such as Napoleon and Benjamin Franklin. The Mechanical Turk rapidly gained immense popularity and was hailed as a marvel of its era. However, the excitement surrounding it eventually unraveled as a deceit concerning its "autonomy" when it was revealed that a person, hidden beneath the table, was actually controlling the machine. This person covertly orchestrated the game's strategies from that hidden position.
In simpler terms, it was a profound deception that everyone believed at the time.
Nearly 250 years later, in 2016, Amazon executed a similar stunt. Its "Just Walk Out" payment system enabled customers to pick up items and exit without manually sc…
