The End of the World As We Know It

By: Cole Fox

Hollywood has placed in our minds the idea of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) becoming self-aware and destroying mankind for our own good. Movies like Terminator and iRobot only reinforce this.

Bill Gates, Steve Wozniak, Elon Musk, and Stephen Hawking all fear it. Should we?

Artificial intelligence is actually quite common in our world. For example, after visiting a particular website, a machine reads the user’s trends and tries to predict what will be of significant interest, showing results in the user’s browser.

More complex applications of AI take in several variables, creating an intricate network of data. However, a human has to program the computer, and it can do nothing more than its program.

So, What?

AI has already changed the way we interact with data. It analyzes billions of data entries in seconds, resulting in quick and accurate decisions. AI has allowed for futuristic approaches to modern problems. Machines diagnose patients quickly and effectively. Militaries perform operations without risking human life. Heck, cars drive themselves!

So, after seeing all the good that AI does, what is so bad about AI that we should forgo these benefits?

Risks

The primary concern among AI skeptics is the idea that if a machine’s intelligence crosses the critical point, or singularity (see Figure 1), it will begin to teach itself to learn. It will become self-aware and be able to learn anything it wishes. If it decides to end humanity, it will.

Figure 1, Source: highq.com

Elon Musk described a more rational fear, explaining how AI could lead to crashing stock markets and robo-investor incited war¹.

So, Will It End Us?

Since a computer can only do what it is programmed to do, AI will only be as malicious as we allow it to be. Through prudent programming, we can prevent AI from doing anything outside the intended scope.

Endnotes:

1. “Exclusive: Elon Musk Divulges His Biggest Fear about Artificial Intelligence,” Entertainment, August 17, 2016, accessed November 29, 2016, http://fortune.com/2016/08/17/elon-musk-ai-fear-werner-herzog/.