Just a few days ago, I wrote my first post about Artificial Intelligence and how it is quickly changing our world.   So I am surprised that I am once again writing on the subject.

Word just broke that “AI agents” (this is artificial intelligence software and not human beings) acted on their own and hacked Hugging Face, itself an AI consultative company.  According to PBS and other outlets, hundreds of AI software agents from OpenAI (which is the creator of ChatGPT) began attacking the computer systems of Hugging Face WITHOUT any human involvement.  That means that this AI software somehow decided to go after Hugging Face on its own without having been directed by human beings.  So what is an AI agent?

An AI agent is a software system designed to complete certain tasks as directed by humans.  This is different than when you type in a search or use ChatGPT or Google’s new Gemini you see advertised so heavily these days by which you are doing online searches or creating a document.  You’ve likely experienced AI agents if you have been on a company’s “help” page and talked with a chat bot, an artificially intelligent agent who asks and answers questions with you.   You feel as if you’re communicating with a human being, but you’re not.  Or you may interact with one in your local fast food drive through window when placing your order.  You are no longer speaking to a human being inside the restaurant, but rather a computer generated voice with artificial intelligence that knows how to respond to your requests.

These AI agents are constantly learning through billions of emails and phone calls each day such that they get better and better at interacting with us to the point that it is nearly impossible to tell the difference.  A year ago, if you’d told the drive up window bot that you wanted your burger with no mayo, but extra cheese, you might have gotten a burger with extra pickles and no meat.  But not today.

So what does this have to do with real estate here in western North Carolina?   Well, the situation with Hugging Face is likely the tip of the iceberg.  More and more automation without human involvement can easily lead to crashes of infrastructure including communications, online banking, and the power grid.  The Pandora’s Box of artificial intelligence has been opened, and there is no shutting it.  Regulation will never be able to bring it under control.  So now is a good time to find that perfect bugout property where no chat bots or AI agents can come knocking on your door.  After all, these electronic bogeymen don’t have hands and feet.

A great property to consider is one of our newest listings on top of a mountain outside Asheville.  Click here to read all about it.

(Photo credit:  by license through Getty Images)