Freedom To Read
Nullify the Nudify Effect
October 19, 2024, Vol. 2, Issue 44
Cite as: Coleman, Anita S. (2024, October 19). Freedom to Read: Nullify the nudify effect. Infophilia, a positive psychology of information, 2 (44).
Today, October 19th is Freedom to Read Day, an especially good day to reflect on the role that AI is playing in shaping our relationship with books, reading, and information. However, there’s an elephant in the room: Technology influences our perceptions of reality and what choice do we really have. That's what I explore today. I’m also launching two exciting new sections, Wealth Watch and Wellness Wisdom. Happy reading!
A horrifying news story is now surfacing: the widespread use of AI bots to remove clothes from images, raising concerns about privacy, consent, and misuse of technology, once again. It adds a new word, 'nudify', to our vocabulary*—a phenomenon that I hope my essay will help you to nullify!!**
To understand the impact of AI on our reading, information consumption, and everyday life, let's consider two thought-provoking questions:
Would you rather have a voice-controlled AI assistant that can read you a book or article in your voice or a voice you choose?
Or would you prefer one that can generate an original book based on your favorite author and genre?
Now, let's pause and reframe the second question in a way that highlights the ethical implications of AI, using the familiar example of digital image manipulation:
What about an AI-powered photo editor / assistant that can remove clothes from images?***