Will AI end the age of modernism and expertise?

We have a modernism that has taken a beating from postmodernism. The question is, if AI continues to advance in this way, will modernism survive?

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Modernism arose between the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century. It resulted in significant changes in science, technology, industry, and culture. It brought the entire social structure, culture, interpersonal and international relations to a new paradigm with its progressive approach and destructive structure that encompassed values such as freedom, reason, and science.

Modernism asserted that reason and science can lead to the truth, that truth is not relative, and that it must be tested through experiment and observation. Modernism heralded the age of specialization all over the world (and at various times).

Throughout history, people have had limited access to information. During this limited period of time, people made progress through master-apprentice relationships or by passing down knowledge from one generation to the next. Cooperation and the division of labor in society changed with modernism and the industrial revolution. Specialization was sped up by the rise of new jobs, the spread of education to more people, and the creation of technical schools. Crafts were replaced by industry, mass production, and new jobs that grew out of the need to make more things.

In the 1960s, the postmodernism movement emerged as a reaction to modernism. Against the universality of modernism, ideas such as the truth being relative and that the answers to everything cannot be found with reason and science began to be accepted in society. Concepts such as high culture and subculture created by modernism began to fade and even to be replaced. In this period, there was no absolute truth anymore. Everyone could have their own truths, everyone could be right. Who could say that classical music was better than hiphop?

In the dark history of humanity, knowledge (often false information) that was gained without the scientific method has started to come back into our lives as "ancient knowledge." Modernism had established a more secular world and made a significant gain in the battle between religion and science. Postmodernism, by creating ambiguity instead of absoluteness, began to spread spiritual ideas, new age religions, which today are gradually sweeping the world. There was no true or false anymore. Everyone was right.

Specializations have also suffered the slap of postmodernism. In the new order where everyone has an opinion on everything, specialties have been rapidly eroded. We've experienced and continue to experience an era in which everyone can be an expert in any field they choose. Today everyone is a doctor, an advertiser or a soccer team coach.  Everyone knows everything.

The first examples that come to my mind are those who ignore scientists and claim that the earth is flat, those who ignore doctors and believe that they can beat cancer by sending affirmations to the universe, unqualified guests who are experts on everything on TV screens every day. Those who have opinions but not knowledge are not limited to these examples.

We all have an opinion about everything now (including me.) We are very open to stole other people's stories, narratives, opinions our own truth and believe it. Even though we can't name the capital of North Korea, we do have an opinion on whether or not a nuclear war between the United States and North Korea is likely. By the way, it's okay to have your own thoughts and feelings. Please don't misinterpret what I'm saying. As long as you realize that you don't know anything and that your opinion might not be right. It's very risky for all of us otherwise, and unfortunately, that's the world we live in right now.

Expertise has lost some of its value because everyone has an opinion on everything. With the help of social media, the opinions of people with more followers started to reach more people and have more impact than the opinions of experts. Right and wrong no longer matter as much as they used to. We live in a kind of utopia called "post-truth.

We are now entering a new era known as "the age of artificial intelligence." A new technology that processes, makes sense of, and interprets all of humanity's digital data is being developed step by step. At this point, it knows more and can produce more than the average human being. And in a matter of seconds. Because it generates all of its output from the data it collects, the success of the result or model is determined by the inputs. These inputs include humanity's misconceptions, prejudices, and good or bad ideas.

Individuals with an opinion but no information will be able to get information more easily than ever before thanks to these technologies. They'll be able to share their thoughts on Istanbul they've never visited, a Bentley they've never driven, and a local dish they've never tried. They will be able to create and deliver information.

In just a few years, all the content we produce as a species will only make up a tiny fraction of the total content pool, thanks to the exponential growth of AI-generated content. In the coming decades, it will be next to impossible to view and potentially differentiate human-created content.

The gray area between right and wrong was gradually disappearing. I predict that we will see it vanish. Postmodernism battered modernism, but it managed to survive by adapting its form. Artificial intelligence will change society and human interactions in unexpected ways, particularly in trade and culture. Additionally, global relations. It appears that the entire foundation of modernism will be pulled out from under us, with potentially disastrous results.

Will we see the fall of modernity and specializations or will they manage to survive?

The next article will seek to answer this question.

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