ChatGPT: When AI upends the real world, mixing ‘real elements with crazy, disgusting hallucinations’

In the digital age, we are often reminded of the minefield that awaits us online—and the need to remain vigilant. As we whimsically share life’s most cherished moments—at times simple, at times exceptional, we bask in the excitement without a care in the world. All the while, a darker underworld lurks beneath the surface. Artificial intelligence offers a whole new world of possibilities, albeit bipolar, as it unlocks a Pandora’s box and unleashes “deep fakes” and disinformation, spreading bias, socio-economic inequality, and political instability. But what happens when an everyday private citizen falls prey to looming “virtual insanity”? A Norwegian family man, nestled in the heart of Scandinavia, “googles” himself on ChatGPT in a lighthearted quest to uncover a hidden digital jewel. What unfolds next could have only been conceived by the minds behind Black Mirror or the X-Files. In the world of AI, Arve Hjalmar Holmen is not the good-natured father loved and cherished by his family—he’s a ruthless child killer. Thrust into this digital nightmare, Mr. Holmen takes swift legal action against OpenAI, and agrees to share his harrowing ordeal with FRANCE 24’s Eve Irvine. Only now do we really begin to understand, first-hand, how AI can veer abruptly from a marvel of technological innovation to a veritable existential threat.