Future of Humans and Artificial Intelligence

AI, short for artificial intelligence, is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as “the theory and development of computer systems being able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception, decision-making, and many more tasks.” With the use of complicated algorithms, these devices can create solutions instead of just giving predefined answers. For example, if you’re playing chess against an AI and make the same move in two different games, just like a person, you might get a different response. Although the development of AI is accelerating, AI remains far behind compared to human intelligence. However, there are high hopes for AI and its shaping the future.

AI has continued to become more common as time has passed. In fact, you’re probably using AI right now. An example is the predictive text on your phone. When you’re typing, the technology learns how you construct sentences and then adapts over time from your typing habits. AI is currently being used in fields, such as gaming, however, the possibilities of AI are endless. Many believe it can be implemented in areas like healthcare or jobs. Doctors tend to have a lot on their plate, and can’t see all their patients. AI could be very helpful, especially for patients’ data analysis and medical diagnostics. This could create time for doctors to interact with all their patients.

AI could be beneficial towards us, as it was created to help. It can free up time for humans to work on important things, as AI could complete tasks, such as cleaning. Additionally, the development of AI will create an increase in job opportunities. According to TechRepublic, more than 40% of companies are adding jobs after deploying AI. It is a common belief that the development of AI will lead to humans being replaced in the workplace, however, the statistic above proves otherwise.

Furthermore, AI could benefit the security field. AI excels at malware and spam detection. An example of a company using this type of AI is Facebook, as they help users identify fake accounts when their face is recognized as someone else’s photo. AI can currently adapt and identify threats that would probably be undetected by humans. Moreover, AI will continue to develop and soon be fighting against cyber attacks.

As AI continues to develop, there are many risks that come along with it. AI, if coded right, will have a lower rate of error than humans. They would be incredibly efficient and accurate, which can create dangerous situations. This is a long road away since our AI is currently behind human intelligence, however, it’s a likely possibility. Stephen Hawking stated, “The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.” Additionally, Elon Musk has expressed that “AI is our biggest existential threat.” An example of AI being dangerous is autonomous weapons, which means they are independent and have a mind of their own. These weapons might put people in danger. Also, once activated, the weapon might be hard to dismantle. All of these inferences about the dangers of AI is theoretical and we will truly see the risks in the future.

Bill Gates believes that there’s a reason to be cautious, however, it’s worth it since the good can outweigh the bad. Sophomore Sean P. stated, “AI can be very helpful in the future. As it continues develops, AI can greatly impact us and make lives easier.” Although there might be risks, as long as we are alert, we should be fine.

For more information, visit alphr.com, and forbes.com