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This is the first in a series of articles from six different AI models about the dangers and risks of AI.
This is from ChatGPT. The other models are from Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, Deep Seek, and Grok.
They articles and a discussion about these different systems will be included in a book CHOOSING THE BEST AI MODEL FOR WRITING AND RESEARCH.
Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming woven into every part of our daily lives—from the smartphones in our pockets to the smart devices in our homes, to the automated systems used by banks, hospitals, law enforcement, schools, and employers. The promise is convenience, efficiency, and personalized assistance. But behind this futuristic shine lies a growing set of dangers and failures that have already harmed millions of people. As AI advances faster than regulation, consumers are being placed at risk in ways that most never imagined.
When AI Goes Wrong: Everyday Systems That Fail
A major danger of AI comes from systems failing in unexpected ways. The public often assumes that AI is precise, objective, and reliable. The reality is far different. AI can misfire, mishear, misinterpret, or hallucinate—sometimes with severe consequences.
For example, smart home devices rely heavily on cloud servers. When the company powering them shuts down or changes direction, ordinary consumers suddenly find that door locks, thermostats, security cameras, or lighting systems no longer work. Devices that cost hundreds of dollars become useless overnight. This failure has occurred repeatedly with companies like Insteon, Revolv, and others that discontinued service without providing alternatives.
The problem extends far beyond smart homes. AI chatbots used by lawyers have fabricated legal cases, leading to sanctions against attorneys who unknowingly relied on false information. AI-powered fraud detection has incorrectly frozen bank accounts. Facial recognition systems used by police have misidentified innocent people, resulting in wrongful arrests. In medicine, diagnostic algorithms have misread scans or offered dangerous recommendations. AI hiring tools have filtered out qualified applicants based on biased or incomplete training data.
These are not rare accidents—they are symptoms of a deeper issue: AI systems often function as “black boxes,” making decisions that even their creators cannot fully understand or explain.
AI as a New Weapon for Scammers and Criminals
Criminals have quickly discovered how to exploit AI, using tools that were unthinkable just a few years ago. Voice cloning scams are among the fastest-growing threats. Criminals can now mimic a family member or business executive with only a few seconds of audio pulled from social media. Victims have been tricked into wiring money, releasing confidential information, or falling for elaborate kidnapping hoaxes.
Deepfake videos and AI-generated impersonations are becoming more sophisticated, enabling scams that bypass traditional forms of verification. Fraudulent emails, government notices, dating profiles, and investment solicitations can be mass-produced with perfect grammar, realistic detail, and individualized targeting.
The line between reality and falsehood is blurring, and many consumers are unprepared.
When AI Decides Your Future: Bias, Inequality, and Invisible Gatekeeping
AI is increasingly being used to make high-stakes decisions that affect people’s lives: who gets hired, who is approved for a loan, who is investigated by police, which students are admitted to schools, and which patients receive urgent treatment.
Yet many of these systems have been shown to reflect—and replicate—the biases present in their training data. Minority groups may be incorrectly flagged as higher risks. Women may be downgraded for STEM jobs. People with disabilities may be rejected by résumé-scanning systems that fail to account for nontraditional experience. Automated landlord tools have discriminated against applicants based on race, income patterns, or neighborhood.
Because these decisions are automated, people have little insight into why they were rejected or what they can do to challenge the outcome. AI becomes an invisible gatekeeper with enormous power and little accountability.
The Collapse of AI Startups: What Happens When They Fail?
The AI industry is booming, but it is also highly unstable. Thousands of AI startups are being created each year—and thousands more will shut down when funding dries up or business models fail. Consumers who rely on these platforms for storing photos, documents, financial records, voiceprints, or personal data may suddenly lose access when companies close their doors or are acquired by larger firms.
Worse still, customer data can be sold during bankruptcy proceedings, often without adequate privacy protections. People may have no way to retrieve their information, delete their personal profiles, or control how their data is repurposed.
AI businesses come and go, but the data consumers give them may live on forever.
AI and the Breakdown of Truth
Another danger is the widespread use of AI-generated misinformation. With a few clicks, anyone can produce fake news stories, fabricated research, bogus political narratives, counterfeit historical photographs, or manipulated videos. Social media algorithms amplify these creations, spreading them faster than fact-checkers can respond.
As misinformation becomes harder to detect, public trust erodes. People lose confidence not only in institutions but in the very idea of truth itself. This is a profound threat to our democracy, our social cohesion, and our ability to make informed decisions.
What People Can Do Now to Protect Themselves
While we cannot stop the rapid advancement of AI, individuals can take several steps to reduce risk:
1. Keep Smart Devices Local When Possible
Choose products that work offline or have local control without cloud dependency.
2. Verify Before You Trust
If you receive a call, message, or video that seems unusual—even if it sounds like someone you know—verify through another channel.
3. Question AI Outputs
Treat AI-generated answers as suggestions, not facts. Double-check legal, medical, financial, or safety-related information.
4. Limit What You Share With AI Systems
Avoid giving AI tools sensitive data unless you understand the company’s privacy policies and long-term stability.
5. Use Strong Security Practices
Enable multi-factor authentication, keep software updated, and avoid public Wi-Fi for sensitive tasks.
What the Government Should Do
The U.S. currently has almost no meaningful regulation for AI. Several actions could dramatically improve consumer safety:
1. Require Transparency and Explainability
Companies should disclose how their AI systems make decisions and what data they rely on.
2. Mandate Warranties and Consumer Protections for Smart Devices
If a company shuts down or discontinues cloud services, consumers should not lose access to hardware they paid for.
3. Create Strict Rules for AI in Hiring, Lending, and Law Enforcement
Independent audits should be required to prevent discrimination and ensure fairness.
4. Protect Biometric Data and Limit Its Sale
Voiceprints, facial data, and personal interactions should not be commodities that get sold in bankruptcy auctions.
5. Develop National Standards for AI Safety and Security
This includes safeguards against deepfakes, identity theft, and critical infrastructure failures.
A Future That Demands Accountability
AI has extraordinary potential to improve our lives. But without safeguards, oversight, and public awareness, it can also magnify risks, deepen inequality, and undermine trust. As consumers, we must be more cautious. As a society, we must demand stronger protections. And as technology evolves, we must ensure that human values—not machine errors—shape our future.
If we act now, we can harness the benefits of AI while preventing its worst consequences. If we wait too long, we may find that the systems we built to serve us have quietly taken control.
For more information and to set up interviews, contact ALB Games at the information below.
Karen Andrews
Executive Assistant
Changemakers Publishing and Writing
San Ramon, CA 94583
(925) 804–6333
Changemakerspub@att.net
changemakerspublishing26@yahoo.com
changemakerspublishingandwriting.com
