In the 1980s, sampling became a popular technique in music production. Inspired by—and named for—the idea popularized by Andy Warhol, a band called Pop Will Eat Itself emerged. Their name was a commentary on how each generation of technology tightens the loop between consumer and creator.
Now, AI (Artificial Intelligence) and ML (Machine Learning) applications are on the precipice of closing this loop entirely—shrinking it to zero and perhaps even beyond. We’re approaching a point where culture itself could be generated at an inhuman pace by technology consuming its own output, leaving us to merely witness a few items spun off automated digital dervishes.
As a lifelong technology advocate, I can’t advise against progress, but this potential loss of control over the invention of culture is something we should all be cognizant of.
