Long before the internet, when newspapers at least tried to uphold the idea of impartiality, there were these places of higher education called “Journalism Schools.” And there were good ones: Syracuse, the University of Missouri, and Northwestern were among a bunch of really good J-Schools turning out reporters and editors who gave a damn about presenting the news fairly.
One of the lessons those places of learning would hammer home to prospective journalists is always to double-check your sources. “If your mother says she loves you,” the saying went, “check it out.” In those days, careful journalism required a healthy dose of skepticism.
With the rise of the internet and other forms of communication, it became easy to share news quickly. The idea of double-checking facts went the way of the typewriter, pay phones, and – sadly – local newspapers. However, we continued to believe what we were reading or hearing was vetted correctly and true. Heck, even that social media post about an alligator in your neighbor’s sewer tank sounded plausible.
We have now entered an information era where Artificial Intelligence is leading the way, shaping conversations, and reporting the news. The problem is this: AI never went to J-School and is never told to check its sources. AI pukes out words and images, never bothering to look at it all with a skeptical eye.
From AKTI’s perch, AI poses a massive problem for knife owners who turn to the internet for information on laws regarding ownership, possession, and commerce. The more specialized the information, the more likely it is that AI gets it wrong. That can be a problem for knife owners who are trying to follow the law.
AI is at least self-aware enough to know that it can often be filled with hogwash. We asked ChatGPT, “Does ChatGPT often provide incorrect answers when it comes to laws concerning knife ownership in the United States?”
ChatGPT answered: “Short answer: Yes.”
AKTI takes its enormous responsibility in being the go-to resource for state and federal knife laws. We have officials from the biggest brands in the knife industry on our Board of Regents who check the regulatory pulse almost daily. We have a lobbying firm working at both the state and federal levels that helps keep lawmakers aware of the nuances of knife laws. We have an attorney who studies each knife-related decision from courts at all levels across the country. We have members in all 50 states, many of whom alert us when there’s even a discussion about changing knife laws.
Quite simply, AKTI is more in-the-know than AI can ever be. Our website has the most up-to-date information about knife laws available. If you still have a question or a concern, you can email us – and you’ll get an answer from a real human being who double-checks the facts with a healthy dose of skepticism.
State Knife Laws
About Statewide Knife Preemption
The Legal Edge – What Every Knife Owner Should Know