Gutenberg to chatGPT- “Been there, done that”

The first mechanical printing press was invented by Johannes Gutenberg in the 15th century. His invention marked a major milestone in the spread of information and knowledge, as it enabled books and other documents to be produced rapidly, cheaply, and more accurately than ever before. It allowed for unprecedented levels of dissemination of ideas and opinions around the world, leading to an explosion in literacy rates and knowledge-sharing. Many believe it was the catalyst that propelled Europe out of the Dark Ages into the Renaissance.

One of the primary objections to the printing press was that it posed a threat to the organizations in power, as its widespread use would allow new ideas and texts to spread quickly and easily. One of the main voices objecting to the invention of the printing press were members of religious organizations, such as monks and other clergy. They feared that its widespread use would undermine their authority. They saw it as a threat to their power and believed that it could lead to incorrect or dangerous information being spread quickly and widely. Another objection was that it would make monks lazy, as copying books by hand was extremely time-consuming and laborious work. ( Dejavue ?)

Apart from religious authorities, there were also concerns raised by politicians in some countries who feared that the new technology could be used to spread seditious material, ‘false’ ideas that contradicted their own. They imagined a dystopian world where everyone would have books of their own and the information in them would destroy their cities and countries with divisiveness and chaotic anarchy. A respected Swiss scientist, Conrad Gessner, described how the modern world overwhelmed people with data and that this overabundance was both “confusing and harmful” to the mind. This was his response to the printing press, written in 1545.

The idea that technology could replace human labor and make things more efficient was a concept unfamiliar at the time, which caused some people to worry about how this could affect their livelihoods. Many merchants and artisans opposed the use of printing presses, as they saw them as a threat to their existence due to its ability to replace manual labor with efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Accuracy in printing was also a concern. Printing accuracy issues have been a concern throughout the history of the printing press. In the past, mistakes would often be made due to the complexity of setting type by hand, and errors in typesetting were difficult to detect before books were printed in bulk. Once mistakes were made, it was difficult and costly for printers to correct them. This could lead to incorrect information being spread quickly and widely, putting readers at risk of confusion or even panic.

Just like the printing press, AI and chatGPT have allowed us to process information much more quickly and efficiently; however, this time it's digital. Like the printing press, this new technology will bring with it the potential to harm, confuse, change, and upend much of society as we know it. But maybe, just maybe it has some positive potential as well. Will we look back in 200 years and see all benefits outweighing the negatives?  The printing press gave us books. Books gave us The Great Enlightenment, the rapid spread of knowledge, access to widely available education, a huge increase in literacy rates, and more jobs being created. AI and chatGPT are likely to have a similarly revolutionary effect.

Have books and print been used for nefarious means, manipulation, instigation of wars, and the spread of false information? Have they changed our perceptions and ways of looking at the world and being in the world. Yes. 

But can we imagine a world without books? I guess hindsight is 20/20. Foresight always has a level of anxiety and concern. As it should.

What are your thoughts? I am still unpacking and pondering it all.