The Age of Infinite Hell: Why Our Fears About AI Aren’t New
If you think the fear surrounding AI is overwhelming, you're not wrong. But it’s also not new.
Every era has had its own version of a tech panic. And when we look back, many of those fears were completely irrational, some even laughable. Yet, here we are again, standing at the edge of innovation, terrified of what’s to come.
Let’s rewind for a second.
When Bicycles Were Dangerous to the Patriarchy
In the late 1800s, people were terrified of bicycles. Not because of crashes or safety issues but because they gave women freedom.
Women could suddenly travel on their own, and that independence scared people. Society couldn’t handle the disruption. So what did they do? They invented a fake medical condition called bike face, claiming women who rode too much would permanently disfigure their faces.
It wasn’t about bicycles. It was about control.
Telephones Would End Concert Halls, and Radio Waves Would Kill You
Fast forward a few decades. The New York Times warned that telephones would destroy concert halls. People feared radio waves would damage our health.
Then came television and suddenly, everyone thought it would make us dumber. And maybe that one wasn’t totally wrong.
Every major tech shift sparks panic. And now? It’s AI’s turn.
History Repeats in Digital Form
When I look at how society has responded to new technologies over time, a pattern becomes clear. The fear isn't about the tools it’s about what they disrupt:
Bicycles challenged gender norms
Telephones and radios disrupted communication
Television reshaped how we learn, pay attention, and connect.
Some of the fears were irrational. But many were reactions to cultural shifts, not the tech itself. And now, AI is the disruptor. But this time, the fear feels different.
The Age of Infinite Hell
We are now entering what I call The Age of Infinite Hell, a time where AI enables manipulation, deception, and abuse at a scale we’ve never seen before.
We’re talking about:
Deepfake-driven scams
AI-generated relationships
Deepfakes that mimic your face and voice
Hyper-sophisticated blackmail
Automated lobbying and influence campaigns
This isn’t sci-fi, it's already happening. And it’s accelerating.
My Personal Fear: AI Scams and the People We Love
Let me get real. One of my biggest fears is that someone could use AI to mimic my voice or face and scam one of my parents. They could make it look like I’m calling in distress, asking for money.
And my parents, who trust me completely, might fall for it.
That’s not paranoia. That’s the direction we’re headed unless we get ahead of this.
A 10% Chance of Catastrophe
This isn't just paranoia. A recent survey found that half of top AI researchers believe there’s at least a 10% chance AI could cause catastrophic harm to humanity.
Let that sink in.
These aren’t fringe thinkers, these are the people building the tech. If there were a 10% chance of a plane crashing, we wouldn’t board it. But somehow, with AI, we keep flying blind.
Fear Isn’t New, But This Time It Feels Different
Every major leap in technology has been met with fear. Sometimes that fear is irrational like a bike face. But other times, it's our instincts warning us that real danger is ahead.
The challenge is knowing the difference.
We can’t just brush off AI concerns as another round of technophobia. But we also can’t freeze in fear. We’ve got to move forward informed, proactive, and intentional.
Let’s take what we’ve learned from the past about disruption, resistance, and hype and use it to guide us through what’s next.
Because the future? It won’t wait for us to catch up.
Fear Is a Feature of Progress
Every major breakthrough brings backlash. It’s part of the cycle. But AI doesn’t just touch one part of society it touches everything:
How we create
How we communicate
How we trust
How we govern
That’s why this moment matters so much. If we don’t get ahead of it now, we might find ourselves deeper into this infinite hell before we’ve had a chance to respond.
Final Thought: Fear the Tech? Or Fear How We Use It?
Technology itself is neutral. It’s the choices we make as builders, leaders, and citizens that determine the outcome.
So no, the real question isn’t “Should we be afraid of AI?”
The real question is: What are we going to do about it?
Frequently Asked Questions
1 - Why are people so afraid of AI?
People fear AI because it challenges how we work, connect, and trust information. From deepfakes to job disruption, the speed and scale of AI's impact feels overwhelming and in some cases, dangerous.
2 - What is context engineering in AI?
Context engineering goes beyond prompt engineering. It's about shaping the environment, tone, and background so AI understands not just the input but the intent behind it.
3 - Is fear of AI just another form of technophobia?
Not entirely. Some fears are rational. Unlike past tech, AI touches everything: creativity, communication, governance, relationships. That scale of disruption is unprecedented.
4 - How does AI affect trust in society?
AI blurs the line between real and fake. It affects how we trust the media, people, and even our senses. That erosion of trust is one of AI’s biggest dangers.
5 - Should we fear AI or how we use it?
Technology is neutral. The real threat is how we choose to use it or ignore its consequences. The future depends on responsible leadership, design, and public awareness.
About the Author:
Shawn Kanungo is a globally recognized disruption strategist and keynote speaker who helps organizations adapt to change and leverage disruptive thinking. Named one of the "Best New Speakers" by the National Speakers Bureau, Shawn has spoken at some of the world's most innovative organizations, including IBM, Walmart, and 3M. His expertise in digital disruption strategies helps leaders navigate transformation and build resilience in an increasingly uncertain business environment.