Is Artificial Intelligence dangerous?

Can Artificial Intelligence be dangerous?

Artificial Intelligence has been hailed as revolutionary and world-changing but it is not without its drawbacks. Whether it is the increasing automation of certain jobs or autonomous weapons that operate without human oversight, unease abounds on a number of fronts. And we are still in the very early stages of what AI is really capable of.
The tech community has long debated the threats posed by artificial intelligence. Automation of jobs, the spread of fake news and a dangerous arms race of AI powered weaponry have been mentioned as some of the biggest threats. Questions about who is developing AI and for what purposes makes it all the more essential to understand its potential downsides. Below we take a closer look at the dangers of artificial intelligence.

AI-powered job automation is a pressing concern as the technology is adopted in industries like marketing, manufacturing and healthcare. According to the World Economic Forum a shift in the division of labour between humans and machines could displace an estimated 85 million jobs by 2025, while giving rise to 97 million new roles. Jobs set to be increasingly redundant include administrative assistants, bookkeepers, payroll clerks, while positions in growing demand include those in the green economy, roles at the forefront of data and artificial intelligence, as well as new jobs in engineering, cloud computing and product development. As technology strategist Chris Messina has pointed out, fields like law and accounting are primed for an AI takeover. In fact, some of them may well be decimated.

As is too often the case, technological advancements have also been harnessed for the purpose of warfare. When it comes to AI, some are anxious to do something about it before it is too late. In a 2016 open letter, over 30,000 individuals, including AI and robotic researchers, pushed back against the investment of AI-fueled autonomous weapons.

"The key question for humanity today is whether to start a global AI arms race or to prevent it from starting," they wrote. "If any major military power pushes ahead with AI weapon development, a global arms race is virtually inevitable, and the endpoint of this technological trajectory is obvious: autonomous weapons will become the Kalashnikovs tomorrow."

This prediction has come to fruition in the form of Lethal Autonomous Weapons System, which locate and destroy targets on their own while abiding by few regulations. Because of the proliferation of potent and complex weapons, some of the world's most powerful nations have given in to anxieties and contributed to a tech cold war. Many of these weapons pose major risks to civilians on the ground but the danger is amplified when autonomous weapons fall into the wrong hands. Hackers have mastered various types of cyber attacks, so it is not hard to imagine a malicious actor infiltrating autonomous weapons and instigating absolute catastrophe.

If political rivalries and warmongering are not kept in check, artificial intelligence could end up being applied with the worst intentions.

Balancing high-tech innovation with human-centred thinking is an ideal method for producing responsible technology. The dangers of artificial technology should always be a topic of discussion, so leaders can figure out ways to wield the technology for noble purposes.