Artificial Intelligence: Progress in Sight, Surveillance in Depth!
09 Sep 2025
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As Smart Systems Make Decisions, Where Does Human Will Go?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the most talked-about technologies today. While it stands out with applications that make our lives easier, it also has technical dimensions and potential risks that need to be understood in depth.
One of the most striking application areas of AI is personalized content delivery. However, this situation brings with it the risk of algorithmic manipulation. AI systems can target users' individual psychologies by analyzing their digital footprints (search history, social media interactions, purchasing habits, etc.). Deepfake technologies, in particular, take manipulation to a new level.
Algorithmic Manipulation and Deepfake Technologies
Deepfake is the ability to produce realistic but fake video and audio content using deep learning algorithms. For example, models like Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) can integrate a person's face or voice into another video or audio recording, posing serious threats, especially in phishing and disinformation campaigns. A fake plea for help from a celebrity or a video containing words a politician never said can be used to mislead the public. In geographies with high social sensitivities like Turkey, planned manipulations can increase social polarization and threaten national security.
Digital Content Management and AI Psychosis
AI also deeply affects the flow of information on the internet. The increasing amount of content produced by large language models (LLMs) leads to the spread of "AI garbage," which is information of questionable accuracy or misleading, making it difficult for users to access accurate information and undermining the reliability of the internet.
Furthermore, excessive interaction with AI chatbots can increase social isolation in individuals. The term "AI psychosis" is used to describe the psychological problems that such addiction can cause. People may experience feelings of loneliness and lack of belonging by turning to digital friendships instead of real social connections. The widespread adoption of this, especially among younger generations, can reduce the quality of social interaction in the long run.
The Rise of Programmable Money and Economic Freedom
Central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and programmable stablecoins promise changes in the financial system. However, these technologies have the potential to create serious control mechanisms over individual economic freedoms.
Programmable money refers to digital currencies that can be spent or used under certain conditions. For example, an algorithm can restrict you from spending your money on certain products or services, prevent you from making certain investments, or even set spending limits based on your carbon footprint. This situation can eliminate economic freedom by leaving individuals' financial decisions entirely to the control of algorithms. In externally dependent economies like Turkey, this new control mechanism can seriously threaten national sovereignty and economic independence.
Cybersecurity and AI-Powered Threats
Large language models (LLMs) create a new front for cyber attackers. Vulnerabilities in LLMs can be used by malicious actors to take control of computer systems or access sensitive data. For example, prompt injection attacks on an LLM can cause the model to produce unwanted outputs or execute malicious code.
Furthermore, AI systems violating intellectual property rights through data scraping has the potential to create legal and economic chaos. Cybersecurity is no longer just a technical issue but has become a fundamental component of national security. Turkey's critical infrastructure and data security must be urgently strengthened against new generation AI-powered threats.
AI's Environmental Footprint
The widespread adoption of AI technologies also brings with it significant environmental costs. AI data centers consume enormous amounts of electricity and water due to high-performance processors and cooling systems. For example, a chatbot is estimated to consume several bottles of cooling water for each query.
This situation increases the pressure on energy resources and can lead to serious environmental disasters in water-scarce regions. AI developers and users should focus on developing more energy-efficient algorithms and hardware to reduce their environmental footprint.
In conclusion, while artificial intelligence offers great opportunities for humanity, it is essential to adopt a conscious development and management approach to minimize the risks it harbors and maximize the benefits of AI. Turkey needs to increase its technical knowledge and take proactive steps to determine its own destiny in the digital transformation process. Otherwise, we may struggle to cope with the challenges brought by the digital age.
