AI Robot |
The biggest risk is the risk of the technological revolution turning into a military one. In an interview to the New York Times, Daniel Klein from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, says that we are at the dawn of a cyber arms race. He predicts that new technologies would push us closer to a world where human life is cheap and dangerous. According to him, AI technology can be developed by businesses in order to harm us. He says that the main concern is "that powerful actors will decide that it is not in their interest to avoid the potential for AI harm, and will ignore the high risks and transform the world for the worse as a result." As a response to this concern, the European Parliament has now issued a new set of guidelines on AI and robots. The guideline stresses on the responsibility of AI developers in the development of such technologies. It also mentions that AI has a direct impact on people's rights, including human rights, as well as the environment and ethics. The guidelines emphasize that AI should not cause "serious or irreversible harm," and it should never replace human beings in all walks of life. Companies and politicians need to take special measures for the development of AI. For instance, companies need to assure that no AI-related work can have significant negative effect on human life, public order, or internal or external security. Thus, the companies need to use ethical standards when developing the technology. Ethical guidelines and standards are quite hard to achieve in the field of technology. It is known that ethics are subjective. Human rights and animal rights are only partially implemented. On the other hand, the government has been accused of leaving its citizens alone to the potential danger of technology. Thus, there is a need to take care of both the rights and needs of the society.
Robots |
A recent survey of British people shows that the majority of the population believes that the government is not taking enough action about the risks of AI. This means that the government needs to play a significant role in the development of AI technology. Governments should take actions based on the views of the public. Ethical issues in Europe In Europe, a lot of initiatives are taking place to prevent the negative impact of AI. However, the struggle against technology is global. Currently, the countries of the EU, such as the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Germany, are proposing to take the lead in the development of AI. Some EU states, like the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, have plans to eliminate the position of the CEO by 2020, or to make it an appointed position. The Netherlands also has an initiative to create a new post in the government: the deputy CEO, who can be a robot. It also proposes to use robots in its care homes. These attempts and proposals raise a lot of ethical questions. Should a robot be responsible for killing people? Should a robot have rights? Should a robot have political views? Should the company producing a robot be responsible for its development? These questions still remain unanswered. However, these activities are a good indication that people in Europe have concerns about the development of AI. Further information on ethical issues concerning AI can be found in our other publications.
Will the world be a better place or not
The answer to that question doesn’t depend on humanity being aware of the dangers. The human impact is already devastating, but technology will have a disproportionate effect on others. Consumers in emerging markets are learning to live with cheap goods. This might make goods more accessible and make manufacturing jobs obsolete in industrialized economies, but the net impact will be to boost global inequality. The wealthy will be able to buy from the emerging markets, which will keep their local economies afloat. Meanwhile, the displaced workers of the developed world will lack income and experience. This will put their socioeconomic status at risk and jeopardize the economic stability of entire nations. The benefits of technology might be universal, but the effects will not be. The same goes for artificial intelligence. The benefits to most of us will likely be more mundane. By creating software and devices that assist us with daily tasks, we may not be seeing a utopia. Technology might improve our lives in small and unnoticeable ways. But we are driving to work in the same cars that are now reaching the end of their lives and now need maintenance. Our children will have cellphones that no longer have the capacity to connect to networks, and these phones might not have the capacity to connect to networks at all. In fact, many people in developing countries are seeing their first cellphones lose the capability to connect. The net impact is that technology will create a more unequal world. It’s a scary prospect, but as technology improves, so will the number of those who are displaced. The small percentage of people who will rise to the top will be even more powerful than before. Will you end up displaced by artificial intelligence, too? The choice is yours.
Will the world be a better place or not
The answer to that question doesn’t depend on humanity being aware of the dangers. The human impact is already devastating, but technology will have a disproportionate effect on others. Consumers in emerging markets are learning to live with cheap goods. This might make goods more accessible and make manufacturing jobs obsolete in industrialized economies, but the net impact will be to boost global inequality. The wealthy will be able to buy from the emerging markets, which will keep their local economies afloat. Meanwhile, the displaced workers of the developed world will lack income and experience. This will put their socioeconomic status at risk and jeopardize the economic stability of entire nations. The benefits of technology might be universal, but the effects will not be. The same goes for artificial intelligence. The benefits to most of us will likely be more mundane. By creating software and devices that assist us with daily tasks, we may not be seeing a utopia. Technology might improve our lives in small and unnoticeable ways. But we are driving to work in the same cars that are now reaching the end of their lives and now need maintenance. Our children will have cellphones that no longer have the capacity to connect to networks, and these phones might not have the capacity to connect to networks at all. In fact, many people in developing countries are seeing their first cellphones lose the capability to connect. The net impact is that technology will create a more unequal world. It’s a scary prospect, but as technology improves, so will the number of those who are displaced. The small percentage of people who will rise to the top will be even more powerful than before. Will you end up displaced by artificial intelligence, too? The choice is yours.
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Faisal Hassan