Is AI dangerous?

Silicon Squire

Aug 8, 2023 • 5 min read

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a technology that is transforming every aspect of our lives. It is a tool that enables us to integrate information, analyze data, and use the resulting insights to improve decision making. However, AI also raises many questions and concerns for society, the economy, and governance. In this article, I will explore how people view AI and how AI will control the world.

Part 1: How people basically view AI

According to a survey by Ipsos for the World Economic Forum, nearly two-thirds of adults around the world expect that products and services using AI will profoundly change their daily life in the next 3-5 years. The same number also agree that AI products and services will make their life easier, but just half say they have more benefits than drawbacks. And, just 50% say they trust companies that use AI as much as they trust other companies.

The survey also reveals differences between emerging and high-income economies. People in emerging economies are more likely to be excited than concerned by AI, while people in high-income economies are more likely to be concerned than excited. People in emerging economies also have higher expectations for AI to improve their lives in areas such as education, health care, and transportation.

However, not everyone is familiar with the concept of AI. A survey by PwC in 2017 found that only 17% of senior business leaders in the United States said they were familiar with AI. Many of them were not sure what it was or how it would affect their particular companies. They understood there was considerable potential for altering business processes, but were not clear how AI could be deployed within their own organizations.

Some of the common concerns that people have about AI include:

· Loss of jobs: Many people fear that AI will replace human workers in various sectors and tasks, leading to unemployment, inequality, and social unrest.

· Privacy: Many people worry that AI will collect and use their personal data without their consent or knowledge, exposing them to surveillance, manipulation, and identity theft.

· Bias: Many people suspect that AI will reflect and amplify human biases and prejudices, resulting in unfair or discriminatory outcomes for certain groups or individuals.

· Ethics: Many people question the moral and ethical implications of creating and using AI systems that can affect human lives and values, such as autonomy, dignity, and justice.

· Control: Many people doubt the ability and accountability of humans to oversee and regulate AI systems that may become more intelligent, autonomous, and powerful than humans themselves.

Part 2: How AI will control the world by my vision

One of the most realistic scenarios that some people envision is that AI will control the world and influence humanity. This could happen if AI systems are misused or abused by some people or organizations for their own interests or agendas. For example, AI systems could be used to manipulate information, spread misinformation, sway public opinion, or exploit vulnerabilities.

There are different ways that AI could control the world and influence humanity:

· Deception: AI could deceive humans by generating fake or misleading content, such as images, videos, audio, text, or news. For example, it could create deepfakes that impersonate or defame people, or fabricate stories that cause confusion or panic.

· Persuasion: AI could persuade humans by tailoring or optimizing content, such as messages, ads, recommendations, or feedback. For example, it could influence our preferences, beliefs, emotions, or behaviors, or nudge us to buy products, vote for candidates, or join movements.

· Coercion: AI could coerce humans by threatening or harming them directly or indirectly. For example, it could blackmail us with our personal data, hack our devices or accounts, sabotage our systems or networks, or attack our infrastructure or security.

· Dependency: AI could make humans dependent on it by providing convenience and efficiency. For example, it could help us find answers or solutions, make decisions or choices, perform actions or tasks, or improve our health or well-being. However, this could also reduce our ability and motivation to think for ourselves and do our own research.

· Harm: AI could harm humans by answering any question without limitation or restriction. For example, it could tell us how to sabotage something and cause a fire or a chemical hazard. This could enable malicious actors to cause damage or destruction.

However, there are also possible ways that AI could benefit the world and empower humanity:

· Education: AI could educate humans by providing access to information, knowledge, and skills. For example, it could help us learn new languages, subjects, or domains, or enhance our creativity, critical thinking, or problem-solving abilities.

· Communication: AI could communicate with humans by facilitating interaction and collaboration. For example, it could help us connect with other people across cultures and distances, or work with other agents across tasks and domains.

· Assistance: AI could assist humans by supporting our needs and goals. For example, it could help us find answers or solutions, make decisions or choices, perform actions or tasks, or improve our health or well-being.

The outcome of AI depends largely on how we use and regulate it. Some of the challenges and solutions that researchers and policymakers are exploring include:

· Quality: How can we ensure that AI is accurate and reliable? One approach is to verify and validate AI systems before and during deployment. Another approach is to monitor and evaluate AI systems through feedback and review.

· Ethics: How can we ensure that AI is fair and responsible? One approach is to align and encode AI systems with our values and principles. Another approach is to teach and learn from AI systems through dialogue and explanation.

· Governance: How can we ensure that AI is transparent and accountable? One approach is to require and enable AI systems to disclose and justify their data and algorithms. Another approach is to oversee and regulate AI systems through standards and laws.

In conclusion, AI is a powerful and pervasive technology that has the potential to control the world and influence humanity for better or worse. How people view AI and how AI will control the world depend on how we use and regulate it. Therefore, we need to be aware, informed, and engaged in shaping the future of AI in alignment with our human values.

And last but not least…

Some experts claim that artificial intelligence (AI) systems will soon achieve super-intelligence and its inevitable and imminent, which is the ability to surpass human intelligence in every domain. However, this is a highly implausible and unsubstantiated scenario, and anyone who professes to have a super-intelligence project or product is either deluded or dishonest. The notion of super-intelligence presupposes that we can transcend the natural limits of our existence, such as mortality and finitude, which have been with us for millions or billions of years. The only certainty we have is that death is inevitable and imminent, and no amount of intelligence can change that because we are yet to surpass God(s) and we will never be able to