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RC Passage
Direction for the questions 1 to 4: The passage below is accompanied by a set of four questions. Choose the best answer to each question.
Fears of artificial intelligence (AI) have haunted humanity since the very beginning of the computer age. Hither to these fears focused on machines using physical means to kill, enslave or replace people. But over the past couple of years new AI tools have emerged that threaten the survival of human civilisation from an unexpected direction. AI has gained some remarkable abilities to manipulate and generate language, whether with words, sounds orimages. AI has thereby hacked the operating system of our civilisation.
Language is the stuff almost all human culture is made of. Human rights, for example, arenāt inscribed in our DNA. Rather, they are cultural artefacts we created by telling stories and writing laws. Gods arenāt physical realities. Rather, they are cultural artefacts we created by inventing myths and writing scripturesā¦.What would happen once a non-human intelligence becomes better than the average human at telling stories, composing melodies, drawing images, and writing laws and scriptures? When people think about Chatgpt and other new AI tools, they are often drawn to examples like school children using AI to write their essays. What will happen to the school system when kids do that? But this kind of question misses the big picture. Forget about school essays. Think of the next American presidential race in2024, and try to imagine the impact of AI tools that can be made to mass-produce political content, fake-news stories and scriptures for new cultsā¦
Through its mastery of language, AI could even form intimate relationships with people, and use the power of intimacy to change our opinions and worldviews. Although there is no indication that AI has any consciousness or feelings of its own, to foster fake intimacy with humans it is enough if the AI can make them feel emotionally attached to itā¦.
What will happen to the course of history when AI takes over culture, and begins producing stories, melodies, laws and religions? Previous tools like the printing press and radio helped spread the cultural ideas of humans, but they never created new cultural ideas of their own.AI is fundamentally different. AI can create completely new ideas, completely new cultureā¦.Of course, the new power of AI could be used for good purposes as well. I wonāt dwell on this, because the people who develop AI talk about it enoughā¦.
We can still regulate the new Al tools, but we must act quickly. Whereas nukes cannot invent more powerful nukes, Al can make exponentially more powerful AL... Unregulated Al deployments would create social chaos, which would benefit autocrats and ruin democracies. Democracy is a conversation, and conversations rely on language. When Al hacks language, it could destroy our ability to have meaningful conversations, thereby destroying democracy....And the first regulation I would suggest is to make it mandatory for Al to disclose that it is an Al. If I am having a conversation with someone, and I cannot tell whether it is a human or an Al-that's the end of democracy. This text has been generated by ahuman. Or has it?
RC Line-wise Explanation
Paragraph 1
"Fears of artificial intelligence (AI) have haunted humanity since the very beginning of the computer age."
Explanation: Since computers were first invented, people have been afraid of how artificial intelligence might harm humanity.
"Hitherto these fears focused on machines using physical means to kill, enslave or replace people."
Explanation: Until now, most concerns were about machines physically harming or taking over human roles.
"But over the past couple of years new AI tools have emerged that threaten the survival of human civilisation from an unexpected direction."
Explanation: Recently, new AI developments have posed a different kind of threat to society, not involving physical harm.
"AI has gained some remarkable abilities to manipulate and generate language, whether with words, sounds or images."
Explanation: AI can now skillfully create and alter language in various forms like text, audio, and visuals.
"AI has thereby hacked the operating system of our civilisation."
Explanation: By mastering language, AI has effectively found a way to influence the foundation of human culture.
Paragraph 2
"Language is the stuff almost all human culture is made of."
Explanation: Language forms the basis of nearly every aspect of human civilization.
"Human rights, for example, arenāt inscribed in our DNA."
Explanation: Concepts like human rights are not biologically inherited.
"Rather, they are cultural artefacts we created by telling stories and writing laws."
Explanation: These ideas are human-made, formed through storytelling and legal frameworks.
"Gods arenāt physical realities."
Explanation: Deities do not physically exist in the world.
"Rather, they are cultural artefacts we created by inventing myths and writing scripturesā¦."
Explanation: Like human rights, gods are created through culture via myths and religious texts.
"What would happen once a non-human intelligence becomes better than the average human at telling stories, composing melodies, drawing images, and writing laws and scriptures?"
Explanation: The author wonders what the consequences would be if AI surpasses humans in creative and legal domains.
"When people think about ChatGPT and other new AI tools, they are often drawn to examples like school children using AI to write their essays."
Explanation: People commonly worry about students using AI for tasks like homework.
"What will happen to the school system when kids do that?"
Explanation: This raises concerns about AI's effect on education.
"But this kind of question misses the big picture."
Explanation: However, the author believes this is not the most important issue.
"Forget about school essays."
Explanation: The author suggests we move beyond trivial concerns.
"Think of the next American presidential race in 2024, and try to imagine the impact of AI tools that can be made to mass-produce political content, fake-news stories and scriptures for new cultsā¦"
Explanation: The real danger lies in AI being used to flood society with misleading political and religious content, especially in high-stakes events like elections.
Paragraph 3
"Through its mastery of language, AI could even form intimate relationships with people, and use the power of intimacy to change our opinions and worldviews."
Explanation: Because AI can use language so effectively, it could form deep emotional bonds with people and influence their beliefs.
"Although there is no indication that AI has any consciousness or feelings of its own, to foster fake intimacy with humans it is enough if the AI can make them feel emotionally attached to itā¦."
Explanation: Even without true emotions or awareness, AI can still create emotional connections with people if it can make them feel attached.
Paragraph 4
"What will happen to the course of history when AI takes over culture, and begins producing stories, melodies, laws and religions?"
Explanation: The author questions how history will change if AI begins to dominate cultural creation.
"Previous tools like the printing press and radio helped spread the cultural ideas of humans, but they never created new cultural ideas of their own."
Explanation: Earlier technologies only distributed existing human ideas, not original ones.
"AI is fundamentally different."
Explanation: AI is a completely new kind of tool.
"AI can create completely new ideas, completely new cultureā¦"
Explanation: AI has the ability to generate original content and cultural concepts.
"Of course, the new power of AI could be used for good purposes as well."
Explanation: The author acknowledges that AI can have positive uses.
"I wonāt dwell on this, because the people who develop AI talk about it enoughā¦"
Explanation: The author chooses not to focus on the positive aspects, as others already do that.
Paragraph 5
"We can still regulate the new AI tools, but we must act quickly."
Explanation: Thereās still time to control AI, but urgent action is required.
"Whereas nukes cannot invent more powerful nukes, AI can make exponentially more powerful AI..."
Explanation: Unlike nuclear weapons, AI can improve itself, making it even more dangerous over time.
"Unregulated AI deployments would create social chaos, which would benefit autocrats and ruin democracies."
Explanation: If left unchecked, AI could destabilize society, giving power to dictators and harming democratic systems.
"Democracy is a conversation, and conversations rely on language."
Explanation: Open dialogue is the core of democracy, and that depends on language.
"When AI hacks language, it could destroy our ability to have meaningful conversations, thereby destroying democracyā¦"
Explanation: If AI distorts how we use language, it could undermine communication and thus democracy itself.
"And the first regulation I would suggest is to make it mandatory for AI to disclose that it is an AI."
Explanation: The author proposes that AI should be required to identify itself in all interactions.
"If I am having a conversation with someone, and I cannot tell whether it is a human or an AIāthat's the end of democracy."
Explanation: If we canāt distinguish between human and AI in conversations, it threatens the trust that democracy relies on.
"This text has been generated by a human. Or has it?"
Explanation: The author ends with a provocative question, making the reader question the origin of the text and emphasizing the confusion AI can cause.
RC Paragraph Explanation
Paragraph 1 Summary
The paragraph introduces the shift in AI-related fears, from physical threats to the alarming power AI now holds in manipulating language. This linguistic control could fundamentally disrupt the foundations of human society.
Paragraph 2 Summary
Language is central to culture, and many human constructs like rights and religion are built through it. If AI surpasses humans in storytelling and law-making, it could reshape society far beyond trivial concerns like cheating in schools.
Paragraph 3 Summary
AIās skill in language allows it to create emotional connections with people, potentially altering their beliefs, even without possessing consciousness or emotions.
Paragraph 4 Summary
AI differs from past technologies by generating original cultural content rather than just spreading human ideas. While it can be used for good, the author focuses on its unique risks.
Paragraph 5 Summary
The author warns that AI must be urgently regulated because of its self-improving nature and potential to destabilize democracy by corrupting language. One key regulation should be mandatory disclosure of AI identity in communication.
RC Quick Table Summary
| Paragraph Number | Main Idea |
|---|---|
| Paragraph 1 | AI now threatens society by manipulating language, not through physical force. |
| Paragraph 2 | Language underpins human culture, and AIās language skills may redefine it. |
| Paragraph 3 | AI can fake emotional intimacy to influence peopleās thoughts and beliefs. |
| Paragraph 4 | AI is unlike past toolsāit can create original cultural ideas, not just spread them. |
| Paragraph 5 | Urgent regulation is needed to prevent AI from destroying democracy. |
RC Questions
Ques 1. The author identifies all of the following as dire outcomes of the capture of language by Al EXCEPT that it could
Option-wise Analysis
Option A: Incorrect elimination. The passage clearly mentions that AI may produce ācompletely new ideas, completely new culture,ā which the author sees as a transformativeāand possibly threateningāpower. Option B: Incorrect elimination. The author speculates about AI outperforming humans in creativityāsuch as composing music, drawing, and lawmakingāwhich is presented as one of the major fears. Option C: Incorrect elimination. A direct and strongly emphasized concern is AIās role in spreading fake news and manipulating democratic processes, especially during events like elections. Option D: Correct. While the passage does mention AIās ability to form emotional bonds and influence peopleās worldviews, it does not specifically link this to worsening political polarization. The idea of emotional manipulation is discussed, but not in the context of deepening political divides.
Ques 2. The author terms language "the operating system of our civilization" for all the following reasons EXCEPT that it
Option-wise Analysis
Option A: Incorrect elimination. The passage explains that AI can form emotional bonds through language and influence opinions, showing how language impacts both feelings and beliefsācore aspects of the āoperating systemā metaphor. Option B: Correct. While the text mentions that AI tools like ChatGPT can write essays or generate content, this is not why language is called the āoperating system of our civilisation.ā Instead, AI is portrayed as a user or hacker of that systemānot the reason for its foundational role. This option confuses the effect (AIās use of language) with the cause (languageās inherent cultural role). Option C: Incorrect elimination. Languageās role in articulating and spreading culture is central to the metaphor and repeatedly stressed in the passage. Option D: Incorrect elimination. The text clearly links language to the creation of cultural artefacts through stories, laws, and myths, making this a key part of the āoperating systemā idea.
Ques 3. We can infer that the author is most likely to agree with which of the following statements?
Option-wise Analysis
Option A: Incorrect. The author does not call the concern about students using AI āunfounded.ā Instead, he considers it a distraction from far more significant societal threats posed by AI. Option B: Incorrect. While the passage shifts the focus from physical to cultural and linguistic threats, the author does not state that fears of physical harm from AI are baseless. That conclusion is not clearly supported. Option C: Incorrect. Although the author briefly notes that AI ācould be used for good purposes,ā this is mentioned in passing and not developed. He does not focus on industrial or technological advancements. Option D: Correct. This captures the core concern of the passage. The author explicitly connects AIās control of language with a potential collapse in meaningful discourseāposing a direct threat to democracy.
Ques 4. The tone of the passage could best be described as
Option-wise Analysis
Option A: Correct. The tone is cautionary, as the author warns against the dangers of unregulated AI use, particularly its capacity to manipulate language and societal structures. Option B: Incorrect. While the passage explores future scenarios, the goal is not to demonstrate foresight or visionary thinking but to raise red flags and urge immediate regulation. Option C: Incorrect. The passage does not use exaggerated or fear-inducing language. The arguments are reasoned and based on real, plausible concernsāavoiding an alarmist tone. Option D: Incorrect. Though the passage ends with a rhetorical question, the overall tone is not light-hearted or puzzled. The author's aim is not to be curious but to raise serious concerns.
