CAT 2024 Slot 3 VARC RC Passage 4 Q21–Q24

A reading comprehension passage from the Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) section of CAT 2024 Slot 3, with 4 questions (RC · Science & Technology). Answers are CAT's official key.

The passage

The passage below is accompanied by four questions. Based on the passage, choose the best answer for each question.

Fears of artificial intelligence (AI) have haunted humanity since the very beginning of the computer age. Hitherto 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 or images. 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, aren't inscribed in our DNA. Rather, they are cultural artefacts we created by telling stories and writing laws. Gods aren't physical realities. Rather, they are cultural artefacts we created by inventing myths and writing scriptures….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 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 cults…

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 it….

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 culture…. Of course, the new power of AI could be used for good purposes as well. I won't dwell on this, because the people who develop AI talk about it enough….

We can still regulate the new AI tools, but we must act quickly. Whereas nukes cannot invent more powerful nukes, AI can make exponentially more powerful AI.… Unregulated AI deployments would create social chaos, which would benefit autocrats and ruin democracies. Democracy is a conversation, and conversations rely on language. When AI 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 AI to disclose that it is an AI. If I am having a conversation with someone, and I cannot tell whether it is a human or an AI—that's the end of democracy. This text has been generated by a human. Or has it?

Question 21

The author identifies all of the following as dire outcomes of the capture of language by AI EXCEPT that it could
  1. A
    out-strip human creativity and endeavours in the spheres such as art and music and, in the formulation of laws.
  2. B
    apply its mastery of language to create strong emotional ties which could exacerbate the polarization of political views.
  3. C
    spawn a completely new culture through its ability to create new ideas and opinions.
  4. D
    eventually subvert democratic processes through the mass creation and spread of fake political content and news.

Answer: (B) apply its mastery of language to create strong emotional ties which could exacerbate the polarization of political views. RC · Science & Technology MCQ

Solution

  1. The passage lists AI out-doing humans at stories, melodies, laws (A), creating 'completely new culture' (C), and mass-producing fake political content that could destroy democracy (D).
  2. It says AI could use fake intimacy 'to change our opinions and worldviews', but it never mentions polarisation of political views.
  3. B adds an outcome the author does not state.

Question 22

The author terms language "the operating system of our civilization" for all the following reasons EXCEPT that it
  1. A
    is fundamental to the articulation and spread of human values and culture in our society.
  2. B
    has laid the foundation for the creation of cultural artefacts through writing and telling of stories.
  3. C
    can influence political views and opinions as it engenders close emotional ties among people.
  4. D
    is the basis of AI tools like ChatGPT which can be used to generate academic content and opinion.

Answer: (D) is the basis of AI tools like ChatGPT which can be used to generate academic content and opinion. RC · Science & Technology MCQ

Solution

  1. Language is the 'operating system' because it is 'the stuff almost all human culture is made of': rights, gods and laws are artefacts made by telling stories (A, B), and conversation, the basis of democracy and opinion, runs on it (C).
  2. That AI tools are built on language to write essays (D) is not why language runs civilisation; the author even dismisses the essay example as missing the big picture.
  3. So D is not a reason for the metaphor.

Question 23

The tone of the passage could best be described as
  1. A
    cautionary, because the author lays out some adverse effects of the proliferation of unregulated AI tools.
  2. B
    alarmist, because the passage discusses scenarios of the influence of new AI tools on language and human emotions.
  3. C
    quizzical, as the passage poses several questions, concluding with the question of whether or not the passage content has been generated by AI.
  4. D
    prescient, as the author analyses the future impact of the use of new AI tools on crucial areas of our society and culture.

Answer: (A) cautionary, because the author lays out some adverse effects of the proliferation of unregulated AI tools. RC · Science & Technology MCQ

Solution

  1. The author lays out dangers (fake news, fake intimacy, threat to democracy) and ends with a call to act: 'We can still regulate ... but we must act quickly'.
  2. Warning plus a remedy is cautionary: A.
  3. B 'alarmist' overstates a reasoned argument; C fixes on the closing quip; D 'prescient' judges the author rather than describing the tone.

Question 24

We can infer that the author is most likely to agree with which of the following statements?
  1. A
    People's fears of the dangers of students using ChatGPT and other new AI tools are unfounded.
  2. B
    Apart from its drawbacks, AI tools have been beneficial in boosting technological and industrial advance worldwide.
  3. C
    The commonly expressed fear that future AI developments will fatally harm humans is unfounded.
  4. D
    One of the biggest casualties from the spread of unregulated AI is likely to be the democratic process.

Answer: (D) One of the biggest casualties from the spread of unregulated AI is likely to be the democratic process. RC · Science & Technology MCQ

Solution

  1. The author says unregulated AI 'would create social chaos, which would benefit autocrats and ruin democracies' and that failing to tell human from AI is 'the end of democracy'.
  2. So democracy is a major casualty: D.
  3. A misreads 'misses the big picture' (he doesn't say fears are unfounded); B is not discussed; C contradicts the passage's warnings.

Same concept in other years

See every question on Spotting the one claim the passage does not support — society and politics passages.

See every question on What the author would agree or disagree with — society and politics passages.

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