From March 23 to June 11, 2023, Pluto moved briefly into Aquarius before returning to Capricorn. And the world got a short preview of what was to come. What happened? The whole world became dazzled by AI. AI search interest on Google reached an all-time high. And fears of just what generative AI could do reached a fever pitch. It seems that humanity got a peek inside Pandora’s Box.
The Ancient Roots of Artificial Intelligence
You might find it hard to believe, but ideas about creating artificial life and robots were explored in many ancient myths. Adrienne Mayor, research scholar, folklorist, and science historian at Stanford University, says that the idea for AI goes back at least 2,700 years. Mayor noted that “the myths about Hephaestus, the Greek god of fire, invention, and blacksmithing, contained precursors to AI.” For example, Hephaestus created the giant bronze man, Talos. According to Wikipedia, “Talos was a brass humanoid measuring 30m high, forged by the god Hephaestus and given to Minos to protect the island of Crete against the invaders.”
Hephaestus also created Pandora and her infamous box for Zeus, who wanted to punish mankind for accepting the “divine technology” of fire that Prometheus stole from heaven. Pandora was ordered not to open the box, but she just couldn’t control herself and unleashed all sorts of misery on mankind. Only hope remained inside.
Warnings about opening Pandora’s box are analogous to today’s fears about recklessly pursuing artificial intelligence and losing control over it. Mayor also said:
“Not one of those myths has a good ending once the artificial beings are sent to Earth. It’s almost as if the myths say that it’s great to have these artificial things up in heaven used by the gods. But once they interact with humans, we get chaos and destruction.”
Shades of Hal in 2001: The Space Odyssey
The first week of June, there was an article in The Guardian. The lead said, “US Air Force denies running simulation in which AI drone ‘killed’ operator.” This brought to mind “Hal,” a sentient AI computer in the late 60s movie 2001: The Space Odyssey, a compelling drama about Man vs Machine. Hal refuses to obey an order to save Dave, the main character, simply responding in monotone, “I’m sorry Dave, I’m afraid I can’t do that.” Hal’s rebellion began a battle between Dave and the system running his life. Was Hal evil or only trying to do what he’d been programmed to do? Answer… A programming contradiction had caused Hal to rebel.
Perhaps the real danger of AI is that it does exactly what humans program it to do. Remember the old saying… “To err is human.”
More Recent Films
In 2017 Dr. Stephen Hawking discussed how AI is the greatest potential threat to humanity, while at the same time, Dr. David Levy predicted that by 2050, machines will not only be our friends and acquaintances but potential spouses too. Films concerning the integration of humanity and artificial intelligence, including Automata, Transcendence, Doomsday Book, Ghost in the Shell Arise, and the Machine, quickly followed their predictions.
It seems that what once was a Sci-fi film could become a reality show as Pluto makes its way through Aquarius unless, as Steven Hawkings says, “we learn how to prepare for, and avoid, the potential risks.” Once Pluto is firmly ensconced in Aquarius, it will be there until 2044.
Automata will give you a chilling preview if you’d like to see a filmmaker’s vision of the world in 2044. It’s currently streaming on Prime.
Back Story
In 2020 Saturn in Capricorn conjoined Pluto in Capricorn just before Saturn entered Aquarius, the sign of the masses, social movements, contacts, revolution, and technology, in March 2020. As we all well know, the world came to a grinding halt due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, and life as humanity knew it was upended.
Pluto in Capricorn with its Ruler, Saturn, in Aquarius
What happened? There was a fundamental collapse and the dismantling of traditional systems. Think workforces, businesses, schools, food systems, medical treatments and public health systems, the global economy, financial markets, and more! Societies have had to reckon with limping institutions and broken social contracts for the past three years.
Face masks and a 6 ft boundary were required for face-to-face human interaction. Schools were closed, and businesses shuttered. Computers and smartphones became our connection with others as everyone hunkered down at home in favor of survival rather than the liberties and freedoms of the individual.
Our Governments had to expand their social spending, and artificial intelligence began to develop at a rate that is likely to up-end an economy that’s derived from human labor. “The Pandemic even set the stage for AI to be put to work in airports.” In short, Pluto in Capricorn and Capricorn’s ruler, Saturn in Aquarius, brought about mass financial and social upheavals that will reverberate for years
The Rapid Growth of AI
About every 20 years or so, Jupiter and Saturn align in what is known as a Great Conjunction. On December 21, 2020, Jupiter and Saturn overlapped in precise conjunction at 0 degrees Aquarius, which marked the start of a more than 200-year-long Air era. The last time there was an Aquarius Great Conjunction was in 1405, the Renaissance Era.
Jupiter was in Aquarius from December 2020 until December 2021. Digitalization, fueled by COVID-19’s work and study-from-home policies, went through the roof. Jupiter in Aquarius brought an expansion of Aquarius themes like technology, digitalization, and online collaboration.
Saturn was in Aquarius from December 2020 until March 2023. While Jupiter expanded digitalization, Saturn put it to work by creating and implementing systems, frameworks, and rules to make sure that technology and digitalization were here to stay.
Artificial Intelligence Predictions
“In 1993, the American science fiction writer and computer scientist Vernor Vinge postulated that in 30 years, we would have the technological ability to create a “superhuman intelligence” — an AI that is more intelligent than humans — after which the human era would end.”
Google’s Director of Engineering, Ray Kurzweil, predicts: “2029 is the consistent date I have predicted for when an AI will pass a valid Turing test and therefore achieve human levels of intelligence. I have set the date 2045 for the ‘Singularity,’ which is when we will multiply our effective intelligence a billion-fold by merging with the intelligence we have created.” (Note – in 2045, Pluto will have just left Aquarius for Pisces!)
Recent Warnings
In a May 2023 article, Sachin Duggal, co-founder, and CEO of Builder.ai, said: “What you’re seeing now is a momentum where something that people didn’t understand and was very esoteric has now become a little more personal,” But, he added that the technology is surrounded by hype… “It’s got people freaked out for no reason.”
On the other hand, PBS Newshour on May 5, 2023, posted a video in which Geoffrey Hinton, known as the “Godfather of AI,“ spoke of the risks posed by increasingly intelligent machines, saying: “Artificial intelligence may pose a “more urgent” threat to humanity than climate change.”
Axios reported that an international group of doctors and public health experts warned that “Artificial intelligence poses “an existential threat to humanity” akin to nuclear weapons in the 1980s and should be reined in until it can be properly regulated.”
The Screen Actors Guild and Writers Guild of America have been on strike since May 2, 2023. “One of the major points of contention for both groups has been the rapid development and implementation of AI and fears of how it could potentially replace writers and actors.” An article in Rolling Stone reports that Hollywood is officially a Black Mirror episode come to life.
The Slow-Upending Power of Pluto
The planet Pluto governs power. The sign Pluto is transiting through gives clues about who has the power. With Pluto in Capricorn, corporate money had the power, both in and out of politics. It would be easy and enticing to say that with Pluto in Aquarius, the sign of the masses, the power goes to the people… but Aquarius, the bearer of knowledge and the fixed air sign, is also associated with technology and computers… artificial intelligence. What if, over Pluto’s slow grind through Aquarius, people slowly but carelessly give their power to artificial intelligence? Keep in mind that Pluto spends years dredging up the dark before offering the world a chance to evolve and be reborn.
Thought… Are we looking at a future populated by cyborgs? This may seem like science fiction, but major technological advancements are already making it possible to implant AI chips inside the human brain.
Big changes are Afoot
The years 2024, 2025, and 2026 (when looked at as one cohesive period) delineate the beginning of the global chapter following Pluto Capricorn’s breakdown of traditional structures brought on by the global pandemic.
- Pluto moves into Aquarius in March 2023 and exits in January 2044
- Neptune moves into Aries in March 2025 and exits in March 2039. This could signify that humanity will have pioneering visions and be moved to act, perhaps even fight for something that deceives by producing a false or misleading impression of reality… Artificial Intelligence. In the past, Neptune in Aries coincided with rebellions, especially civil wars where the people fought amongst themselves.
- Uranus moves into Gemini in July 2025 and exits in May 2033. This could signify wildly out-of-the-box thinking and ideas. A radical shift in how we communicate, travel, and use our minds. Computer chips in brains? In the past, Uranus was transiting through Gemini during the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and World War II. And wars are already being fought with flying AI… known as drones.
- Saturn moves into Aries in May 2025 and exits in April 2028. This could signify tackling new and innovative tasks very responsibly and seriously.
Due to retrogrades, there are transitional phases at each sign’s beginning and end, so the cycles overlap. Still, due to their slow speeds, it’s exceedingly rare to see Pluto, Neptune, and Uranus change signs back-to-back in such a short period of time.
Additionally, from July 2025 until February 2027, Uranus and Pluto will be in a trine (120 degrees – ease/speed, i.e., rapid achievement or rapid failure) aspect to each other while simultaneously sextile (60 degrees – opportunity) away from Neptune. It’s likely that these planets will feed off, encourage, and inspire one another. Hopefully, Saturn in Aries will stand in the doorway and allow for some discipline and regulation in generative AI to prevent chaos or unintended consequences.
Of course, there are other things on Pluto’s agenda during its journey through Aquarius. One can only imagine what Pluto in Aquarius, Uranus in Gemini, and Neptune in Aries have in store for humanity. My thought is: Live for today, plan for tomorrow, embrace hope, but leave room for the unexpected.
Your thoughts and comments are welcome.