Artificial Intelligence dominates conversations in 2023, named 'Word of the Year' by Collins Dictionary

Artificial Intelligence has been in the spotlight throughout 2023. AI made headlines and was the focus of more and more conversations. Thanks to this rising visibility, the term 'Artificial Intelligence' has been named the "word of the year" by Collins Dictionary.

Conversations and more

As per Collins Dictionary, the use of AI, a term that describes "the modelling of human mental functions by computer programs", has quadrupled this year.

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Alex Beecroft, the director of Collins Dictionary, as quoted by BBC, said that AI had been "the talking point of 2023".

"We know that AI has been a big focus this year in the way that it has developed and has quickly become as ubiquitous and embedded in our lives as email, streaming or any other once futuristic, now everyday technology," he added.

How AI made the conversations

Artificial Intelligence was all over the board; from suggesting recipes with leftover pantry ingredients to acting as a therapist...AI did it all.

Not only that, it also was a source of fear and anxiety for many. This was not limited to the usual reports of 'will computers take over humans', but also included warnings that artificial intelligence can be used to make chemical and biological weapons.

In March, more than 1,100 notable signatories, including Elon Musk, Steve Wozniak, and Tristan Harris of the Center for Humane Technology, signed an open letter calling on "all AI labs to immediately pause for at least 6 months the training of AI systems more powerful than GPT-4." They reasoned that as AI systems become more "human-competitive" at general tasks, humans need to ask, "Should we risk loss of control of our civilization?".

There were also concerns about copyrights, as AI "used" work made by artists to "create" its own art. AI-generated deepfakes were also a cause of concern, with reports of the technology being used for propaganda.

Other contenders for 'Word of the Year'

Artificial intelligence was not the only word on the list. Its contenders included de-influencing — where famous people use their notability to warn followers against harmful stuff, and Nepo baby — the word for people, mostly in the entertainment industry, whose rise to fame is based on having famous parents.

(With inputs from agencies)

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