The advent of modern technology is a glorious thing. But with this has come a very neat and rather controversial topic: Artificial Intelligence. In this article I attempt to analyse artificial intelligence as someone interested in computer and software engineering, giving you my thoughts on the issues at hand. Click Read More and Comment to hear my thoughts and share your opinions!

Artificial Intelligence (AI) was introduced as an academic concept in the year 1956. It was heavily studied and researched, and then funding was cut to its study in a period called the “AI Winter”. By the 2000s, interest had increased gradually to the point where companies are now making big moves to try to accomplish true artificial intelligence in their business plans.

For those that are unaware, there are two types of artificial intelligence. Believe it or not, you are experiencing one of the versions of artificial intelligence every single day, multiple times daily. The first area of this AI contains the ability to react to things that are thrown at it, being able to use things stored in its memory to make decisions, and being able to understand human emotion and feelings. These are shown through a number of everyday applications such as the algorithms YouTube uses to recommend videos for you to watch. Alexa, a personal device you speak to from your home, has the ability to understand you and make recommendations and actions happen. Another example would be a Tesla car. These cars take into account a number of variables to make the correct decisions on your driving, keeping you safe without having accidents. All of these examples are grouped into the first category of AI.

The second, and most controversial, AI is general Artificial Intelligence. This AI is incredibly smart, can build upon what it learns, and ultimately can become more intelligent than a human. It’s limit of intelligence is set by the human that programs the AI. Some of this AI is already starting to be developed to work in the medical field with humans that need someone there at all times to provide emotional support and is limited by the programmers that make these robots.

…But some people believe that artificial intelligence will become too powerful and take over the entire world, killing all humans or making us their slaves! A scary instance of this happening would be the example of automated lethal weaponry systems. If implemented they would be incredibly powerful, could learn to do serious damage or even consider humans to be threats to their intelligence, leading to our own destruction. Considering that artificial intelligence can technically become infinitely powerful in theory, humans may not have a way to stop it if we allow the AI to become this powerful.

This is why we need to be considerate and set parameters for the amazing technology we develop. This could be done by writing laws that prevent an engineer from creating something that could become deadly by using certain sets of software that checks to see if the right parameters are set, especially in dangerous machinery used by multiple militaries worldwide. Serious consideration and thought must be given, and these machines must not be allowed to become as powerful as they want to be.

Do you think robots will take over the world? Leave me a comment below!

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