By

As-sayyidul Arafat Abdulrazaq,

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming our world—often in ways most people do not fully understand. While the headlines focus on convenience and innovation, the deeper realities of AI are far more complex, and sometimes alarming.

Here are some shocking facts you likely never knew:

1. AI Can Predict Death

Advanced AI models trained on medical data can predict a patient’s likelihood of dying—sometimes with over 90% accuracy. This tech could revolutionize healthcare, but it also raises unsettling ethical questions.

2. Training AI Burns Massive Energy

Training a single large AI model can emit as much CO₂ as 125 round-trip flights from Abuja to Beijing. As AI expands, its environmental toll grows, consuming electricity comparable to entire nations.

3. AI is Creating Original Art

AI-generated art is making waves. In 2018, a painting made by an algorithm sold for over $432,000. Machines are now redefining creativity—blurring the line between human and artificial expression.

4. AI Sometimes Hallucinates
 
AI can confidently give false information—a phenomenon called “hallucination.” In some tests, up to 10% of responses from large models like ChatGPT are factually incorrect but sound convincing.

5. AI Outperforms Humans in Many Fields

AI is already better than humans at tasks like diagnosing breast cancer and translating languages. It is also generating music, code, and artwork that many cannot distinguish from human-made.

6. AI Can Manipulate You

From personalized content feeds to deepfakes, AI subtly influences opinions and decisions. Algorithms are engineered to keep you engaged—even if it means manipulating your views without your awareness.

7. A Few Companies Control AI’s Future

Just five tech giants—Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, Meta, and Amazon—control 80% of AI research and infrastructure. This concentration of power poses serious risks to ethics, accessibility, and global equity.

AI is no longer science fiction. It is real, it is powerful, and it is already reshaping how we live, work, and think.

Staying informed is the first step toward using AI wisely—and safeguarding against its unintended consequences.