Artificial Intelligence Response Paper

Patrick Caughill’s recent post, Artificial Intelligence, addresses the potential benefits and drawbacks of the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) in relation to humans in the future. According to Caughill, AI production can be extremely helpful to humans. For example, as AI evolves, it will be able to command machines that will carry out human-like activities autonomously. Caughill, on the other hand, warns of the possible risks of AI production, such as the prospect of controlling or eradicating humans. I agree that the evolution of AI will have both positive impacts and demerits on humans, but some of the potential adverse effects people think about today are unlikely to occur, and they usually relate to fear mongering.

Discussion

One fact that no one can refute is that the evolution of AI will have both beneficial effects and demerits. Caughill explains that AI has the potential to change how human world works. For instance, its evolution can replace the humans at work with software and machines. After such a change, machines utilizing AI can work as shopping assistants and drivers, perform complex processes such as surgery. According to Caughill, the AI can gain even more intelligence. As a result, AI can control the humans in the wrong way or wipe them out forcefully. I believe that the evolution of AI can have even more benefits and demerits than those pointed out by Caughill. After the evolution, for instance, the AI can be used at home to detect negative changes in health or early development of illnesses such as cancer and hence, reduce deaths that occur due to late discovery of diseases. However, the additional demerits of AI would include promoting laziness and causing job layoffs and increase in unemployment rates.

Despite this, some of the worries that people have about the evolution of AI comes from fear mongering and pessimistic thoughts rather than what is likely to happen in reality. Caughill notes that one of the greatest worries of some people is that AI will gain more intelligence than the humans. Eventually, this intelligence will give it the power to manipulate the humans and create unimaginable weapons. In the extreme, AI might use the machines to destroy the humans. I support the view of Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook and Bill Gates who agree that such a problem is not imminent if the AI evolves without misuse by the humans. For instance, the humans have always maintained control of AI since they are creators and they will continue to be in charge. The motive of AI influence comes from the intention of the humans, and the trend will keep being the same. As such, the primary adverse effects predicted, such as mass destruction of the humans, can only be perpetrated by AI if it has been created to act in such a way. In such a case, the problem would have been caused by the humans, and effective countermeasures would be put in place.

Therefore, AI evolution will be both beneficial and harmful to the humans, but some of the worries about its potential negative effects relating to pessimistic prophecies that are unlikely to be fulfilled. As they have always done, the humans will continue to influence AI and thus, its positive and negative effects in the future will be influenced by factors such as the purpose for creation.