With the recent uproar of controversy surrounding artificial intelligence websites such as ChatGPT, Meta AI, and Grok, many individuals have developed a negative perception of AI as a whole. This reputation has sadly cast a cloud of doubt over other artificial intelligence systems that just don’t deserve the hate.

According to Yale Environment 360, some AI has actually been successful in helping meteorologists predict weather forecasts with notable accuracy. They had also reported that for the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, their artificial intelligence Forecasting System (AIFS), was actually better than its physics model counterparts when it came to anticipating certain weather occurrences. 

Yale Environment 360 also notes that deadly flooding often affects countries worst when they don’t have access to warning systems or weather data. However, the sudden widespread increase of AI has given many of these countries the opportunity to generate custom weather predictions more quickly and at a lower cost, which could potentially save lives.

Additionally, Texas Connect has mentioned that artificial intelligence has helped make breakthroughs in geology, with one AI created by researchers at The University of Texas (UT) able to successfully forecast several earthquakes a week prior to them occurring. Their AI was trained to analyze geological data from previous years and take into account Earth’s reverberations in order to determine the potential strength of an earthquake.

I know it’s hard to believe that these AIs can be beneficial when everywhere you turn, people are telling you that AI does more harm than good. And, I’ll admit, they do have a point. From biased algorithms, to generated/fake artwork, unhealthy chatbot relationships, and seemingly endless environmental downsides, it’s easy to understand the topic’s widespread unpopularity. 

But at the same time, it’s not like AI is going anywhere. Our machinery is only becoming more and more advanced. So, really, what’s the harm in indulging in certain artificial intelligence systems that, in the grand scheme of things, are relatively beneficial to our society? 

We should not feel guilty, or like it’s a “bad” thing to use artificial intelligence no matter what it is. The issue is not that black and white, and there is nuance to this moral dilemma that society is currently experiencing. I believe that as long as people understand the AI that they are consuming and if the pros outweigh the cons, they should feel comfortable exploring that technology. AI has many possibilities that are more positive than people think.