Artificial Intelligence Vs Humanity: Why We Should Think About the Threat of Artificial Intelligence?

Artificial Intelligence Vs Humanity: Why we should think about the threat of Artificial Intelligence?

Machines have made life in America and parts all over the world far easier than ever before. Machines make our cloths, assemble our cars, harvest our food and each new generation of machines improves dramatically upon the last. And these new conveniences come with some drawbacks as the machines become smarter and the landscape of artificial intelligence evolves. The possibility that in a near future intelligent machine could be smarter than the human intelligence is no more only a theory. This technology is evolving faster than ever and like Stephen Hawking said in a BBC interview, “Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn’t compete, and would be superseded”. What is Artificial Intelligence? What is the purpose of this technology? Is Artificial intelligence going to replace us?

        During the last year all these questions appeared on the website, blogs, newspaper and TV. People want to know what this technology is and if they should embrace it or fear it. Artificial Intelligence is surely a tricky subject that took the interest of many, but not all of them are happy about it. On one side we have all the pro AI who support the fact that intelligent machine will work for us, where we will be totally free from our duties and our only jobs, where our only duty would be the decisional aspect of what a machine should and should not do. On the other side we have all the skeptics who consider Artificial Intelligence as a threat for mankind. Where they image an apocalyptic society where super computers have either oppressed humankind or killed the inferior species together. Are these worries realistic? Or are them unfounded worries from people who don’t comprehend the issue?

        In order to take a position on this topic we have to consider all the possible aspects that Artificial Intelligence can bring to our society and all the possible disadvantages that could emerge from it. The next paragraphs will be focused on the history of Artificial Intelligence, form the idea to its concept. All the aspects and application of AI will be analyzed, as well as its pros and cons, in order to make clear what this technology is and what is it aiming for.

        By definition, Artificial Intelligence or AI is the branch of computer since that aim to make computer behave like humans. (Vangie Beal, webopedia)

Not many people know that artificial intelligence isn’t something that came from nowhere, but instead it has more than 20 years of research on it. The historical background of computerized reasoning all began in the third century BC. As reported from the blog “Networks & Servers” by Rui Natario, Chinese architect Mo Ti created mechanical animals and warriors. It was the first time where technology was being utilized to change myths into reality. Much later, the Royal courts of Enlightenment age were amused by these mechanical figures, where was possible to make machines that looked and moved like humans. It was possible to created machine that acted and spook like humans, but the creation of the human mind was still off limits. However, it didn’t take much for writers and artist to think beyond the limits of science and explore the extra human intelligence, giving us new troubling ideas of the emerging humanoid.

As mentioned in Denise Ibarondo’s blog “Artificial intelligence”, during the 1600s engineering and philosophy merged together in order to create the first calculator.  It was 1642 when Blaise Pascal, invented the first mechanical calculator to enable gambling prediction.

“Many of the leading thinkers of the 18th and 19th century were convinced that a formal reasoning system, based on a kind of mathematics, could encode all human thought and be used to solve every sort of problem” (The future of computers, website) a super computer that could store all human experiences, thoughts and knowledge.

We have to wait until the early years of the 20th century to see the main improvements on Artificial Intelligence.  It is during those years, engineers began to study the structure of the brain synapses as mechanical constructs. This field of study took the name of “Cybernetics”, well-know as “the study of communication and control in biological and mechanical system.” (denise ibarondo, website blog) The term “Artificial Intelligence” wasn’t formally coined until 1956 by John McCarthy, during the conference that took place at Dartmouth College, Massachusetts. (Dartmouth News Press Release, March 13, 2006) Today, Artificial intelligence is integrated completely in our daily life, and even if we don’t notice it, we won’t be able to live with out it. From smartphones to self driving cars, the probable applications of AI are plenty. Artificial Intelligence is possible when its required an intelligent analysis, automation and precision. (Intelligenct Automation, website) This type of intelligence is strongly used in the military, but its implementation also ranges to the entertainment system, banks, hospitals, insurances. It can also be used to detect customer’s trends and be very useful in the planning, scheduling, language understanding, medical diagnosis and problem solving. (Application of AI, website)

When we think about the application of Artificial Intelligence and its advantages in the field of Science, we just have to think about the development of new drugs, that without the use of AI it wont be possible to develop in large scale at an incredible fast rate. Another application in that field is the use of robotics and computer based optical systems to remote control surgical procedures in hospitals. (Artificial intelligence in medicine, website)

There are also algorithms that helps doctors find the best cure and what procedures best suit the patient. Thanks to AI they will know which side effects each type of medicine will have on the patient and how to proceed with the cure.

In the industry and especially in the mechanical industry, more and more we see the use of robotics system who have replaced the human force in many areas of work. Robots are more efficient, overcoming the limitations that humans have. Millions of robots are now working in factories around the globe, assembling everything it requires precision jobs, from cars to defense equipment. Sometimes the work of a human being can be interfered with emotions, intercepting the rational thinking of an individual. Robots think logically and without the emotional aspects, they will take always the right decision. Another great advantage is that machines never sleeps, they don’t need to rest and at the same time they don’t get bored.