The theories of Karl Marx make some sense in a world controlled by altruism.  However, the world is controlled not by altruism, but by greed, lust for power and control, and the theft of wealth and rewards from those who earned them by those who did not. 

In practice, Marxism, be it communism or socialism, is a system of promising reward but creating poverty so that citizens must depend on the government to provide basics.  That dependence makes it easy for the government to control them.  Marxism exists in America because non-altruistic educators control what is taught and what is not taught to young Americans. 

A.I., artificial intelligence, has the same potential to control an individual’s mind as Marxism controls an individual’s life.  How could that happen?  Again, the insidious control begins in education.  Introducing A.I. to youths before they are taught and before they master the mental skills needed to survive and thrive makes them dependent on others.  A.I. is not God.  It is the mechanical compilation and manipulation of data provided solely by humans to machines.  It does not have access to all knowledge — just what it is provided.

Teaching youths how to push buttons and secure information proclaimed to be complete and thorough creates laziness and ignorance.  Those who input data into A.I. sources can control minds that blindly accept the data as fact and truth.  A.I. can be used to create a dependence that gives others control.

What are the mental skills needed to survive and thrive?  I include research, analysis, evaluation, logic, and an ability to detect others’ self-serving words and behaviors among mandatory mental skills.  They are needed to make reasoned decisions. 

I do not purport to have answers on how to ensure a wise and controlled use of AI.  I do believe that parents and educators of young children must work together to help children develop the mental skills mandatory to thrive in life before introducing them to A.I.  Those skills will help control the impact of A.I. on an individual’s life.  Thoughtful decisions and planning are needed now to help avoid or at least mitigate the damage and destruction A.I. has the potential to inflict.  We cannot tolerate the destruction of lives — e.g., the pain and harm Marxism has caused because it was falsely presented and accepted as a panacea.  A.I. is not the answer to all ills.

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