Ha’azinu: AI

Ha’azinu: AI

 

This week’s parsha is the poem of the great prophecy.  A story of Gd finding a desperate Israel in the desert and bringing them from desperation to survival to flourishing.  The now prosperous nation of Israel takes credit for its triumph, by emphasizing the role of their own actions in their success, rejecting Gd's role and ultimately rejecting Gd.  Gd rejects the arrogant people and removes their protection.  Enemies arise and nearly destroy Israel.  Gd comes to the rescue, since the persecutors fail to recognize Gd as the source of their victories, and Israel rises from the devastation. Coda: Moshe delivers the poem with instructions to keep the rules of the Torah as a way to prevent the downfall. Afterward: Moshe is given his terminal instructions

 

The song is introduced in the previous parsha :

וְ֠הָיָה כִּֽי־תִמְצֶ֨אןָ אֹת֜וֹ רָע֣וֹת רַבּוֹת֮ וְצָרוֹת֒ וְ֠עָנְתָה הַשִּׁירָ֨ה הַזֹּ֤את לְפָנָיו֙ לְעֵ֔ד כִּ֛י לֹ֥א תִשָּׁכַ֖ח מִפִּ֣י זַרְע֑וֹ כִּ֧י יָדַ֣עְתִּי אֶת־יִצְר֗וֹ אֲשֶׁ֨ר ה֤וּא עֹשֶׂה֙ הַיּ֔וֹם בְּטֶ֣רֶם אֲבִיאֶ֔נּוּ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבָּֽעְתִּי׃

and the many evils and troubles befall them—then this poem shall confront them as a witness, since it will never be lost from the mouth of their offspring. For I know what plans they are devising even now, before I bring them into the land that I promised on oath.

 

The poem is a prophecy. It foresees events that will occur, and it predicts how the nation will respond. It conveys an understanding of the eternity of the written word, lasting through the generations. Gd, the author, knows the forces that will determine history: the deepest natural desires (־יִצְר֗yetzer)  will continue to motivate and foretell the future.

 

Observation and analysis of history forms the basis of prediction. The predictions alert the reader to events that fit the model; to an extent the forecast shapes the surveillance and the interpretation. When the prophesied events are “witnessed,” they generate trust in the predictor.

Large language models have become available to the public (on a limited basis). These are popularly known as Artificial Intelligence. These computer programs generate natural-appearing language, (presumably) based upon an enormous data set, the writings that are available to the internet. Everything but handwritten journals and musings. Everything but the most private thoughts. This huge data set represents a (skewed) average of what people [say they] think. Therefore, it is the best available predictor of what they will say next. The program generates the most frequent next word (or 2 or 3…).  The output will generally meet the expectation of the asker or the reader. The words are what one would say or should say under the circumstances. [Consider the meaning of the silent “l” words; always true, rarely factual].

 

The large data set allows more complex predictions. It can approximate a model of motivations and desires (־יִצְר֗ yetzer) , generating the loop of forecast - and faith based upon accuracy.  But this machine does not demand loyalty, it leads down the road to faith in nothing, the No-Gd, that Ha’azinu invokes as the agent of destruction.

 

In our times, we no longer need to invoke Gd as an actor in history.  There are alternative models. But I do not need to reject the Gd model.

 

זְכֹר֙ יְמ֣וֹת עוֹלָ֔ם בִּ֖ינוּ שְׁנ֣וֹת דֹּר־וָדֹ֑ר        שְׁאַ֤ל אָבִ֙יךָ֙ וְיַגֵּ֔דְךָ זְקֵנֶ֖יךָ וְיֹ֥אמְרוּ לָֽךְ׃

Remember the days of old,

Consider the years of ages past;

Ask your parent, who will inform you,

Your elders, who will tell you: