Individual Reaction to the Advent of Artificial Intelligence
Introduction
Through advancements in science and technology, human beings have managed to create machines that work more or less in the same way as the human brain, performing tasks like mathematical calculations and language translations. This is what has come to be known as Artificial intelligence (AI) which is the kind of intelligence that machines exhibit when certain manipulations and programming is done to them. Some of these machines like the IBM computer, Watson, are capable of mimicking or performing certain cognitive functions that are normally associated with the human brain only. Artificial intelligence research thus deals with problems such as communication or natural language processing, knowledge, perception, planning, learning, ability to manipulate or move things and reasoning. However, while the advent of artificial intelligence has transformed various aspects of human life from education to industries and to medicine fields, it is important to question and analyze how exactly humans should react to such a technological development. This is mainly due to the fact that, in spite of the ability of AI research to produce machines that perform tasks that were hitherto performed by humans or even more complicated tasks, AI cannot simply replace the human brain’s cognitive abilities no matter what. For instance, despite of being able to perform extraordinary tasks, the IBM computer was not able to understand or reason out the numbers fed into it.
Thesis: Individuals should react to the advent of AI cautiously and curiously because humans are not aware of what super intelligence will turn out to be in the next century or so and also because their fate depend on the continued benevolence of the machines created through AI.
The understanding capacity of computers or other machine created through AI is quite different from the human understanding. The Watson computer created by IBM was a mere ingenious program that cannot however think like the human brain. It would require still the presence of a human being to instruct these machines on what to do under certain circumstances. The effectiveness of a digital computer such as the IBM computer depends on the programmer’s skill. Its functionality will be influenced greatly by cognitive ability and skills of the programmer developing and designing the program (Searle 1).
Furthermore, the advent of AI machines is increasingly becoming a threat to the livelihood of many people as they are infiltrating every aspect of employment organizations (Baker 1). Additionally, as IBM computers and others with similar capabilities find their way in pharmaceutical labs, law offices, and hospitals, people currently working in these organizations have had to adjust or face the risk of losing their jobs. This raises problems not only for individuals but also the society in general as these people have to be ahead of these machines and add value in ways that is unmatched. There may be fewer jobs for writers, creative types and entertainers in the next century with continued AI research (Marcus 2)
Also, the advent of AI also creates challenges concerning how exactly educational institutions should prepare students to perfectly fit in the labor market in which almost every question is answered by machines. Further, it becomes difficult to customize the educational curriculum in a unique manner and standardize lessons on such human skills. Just like the impacts of globalization with respect to competitiveness, artificial intelligence machines such as computers have to some extent replaced human cognitive ability or acted as a substitute. People therefore have to be highly competitive to match this challenge, something that is a herculean task. People must go where computers such as IBM cannot go in order to survive, to survive; otherwise they will be rendered irrelevant.
Moreover, the cautious approach to AI should be informed by the fact that AI research is likely to pose a threat to the ability of human beings to think and act creatively. To illustrate, the use of machines in translation and interpretation is likely to make people less intelligent and philosophical as they will give up or stop asking questions (Heaven 5). There are high stakes when machines are now taking over the role of making important decisions concerning medical diagnosis, mortgage applications and criminal guilt.
Additionally, people are likely to get used to life choices being made on their behalf by these machines thus killing the culture of creativity and scrutiny. The advent of machines created through AI also raise ethical dilemmas and issues regarding people’s privacy and even security when important details concerning human beings are run by machines (Heaven 6)
In addition to this, AI research efforts towards the stimulation of the human brains through machines are still primitive and premature according to Marcus (4). Despite the emergence of AI, human beings are still incapable of creating machines that have vision, common sense, ability to create other machines and the natural language processing ability that the human brain has. Further, AI poses serious threat to the human future due to the likelihood of human machines like robots turning into other dangerous things due to the self-preservation of their creators and their need to control global resource such as energy (Marcus 4). It cannot be assumed that super intelligence shares or will likely share in future certain inherent values of the human brain such as spiritual enlightenment, benevolent concern for other people, scientific curiosity, humility, acquisitiveness and selflessness (Marcus 5).
Furthermore, advances in artificial intelligence are already creating risks and threats to human life. To explain further, the advent of the Big Data and the Internet age has resulted in the collection of large volumes of data about human beings. These data are being fed into algorithms used in making predictions. However, humans lack the ability to know how this data is being obtained and that it is not corrupted before being fed into these machines
Human beings have been reduced to lesser beings as machines try to take up eve n their natural cognitive skills and abilities, thus they have every reason to worry about super-intelligence advances
What is more, Artificial intelligence is becoming superior to human beings, presenting the greatest challenge to human existence ever (Bostrom 1). The major problem is how human beings can prepare themselves for any eventualities associated with the AI. If anything, we are not sure whether or not super-intelligence will turn out to be monstrous or continue to be human-friendly in the turn of the next century. There is a possibility of there being an intelligence explosion in which AI scientists are more intelligent than the human scientists. The new powerful super-intelligence created might develop a litany of technologies and use them to serve the preferences and interests of the AI scientists at the expense of human concerns and safety needs (Bostrom 3).
In rebuttal, AI research may nevertheless improve human standards of living for their use in mathematical education, hospitals and industrial plants. It will also challenge our thinking capacities through the Big Data. As Heaven states, “big data analysis can see things that we miss; it knows us better than we know ourselves” (5). A counter-argument would be, however, that AI has enhanced our ability to find solutions to common human problems due to its ability to carry out tasks the human brain cannot even fathom, such as psychoanalysis for mental patients. Super-intelligence does everything that the human mind does much faster (Bostrom 3).
Conclusion
Advancements in human science and technology have enabled man to create artificial machines that perform most human tasks. Whereas AI research has numerous benefits to the human race, the potential threats albeit unknown, could be disastrous. The single most challenge to humankind is whether they are ready and prepared to embrace super intelligence explosion and its attendant consequences. Therefore, given the oblivion that surrounds AI, individuals should take a cautious approach in embracing its aspects in everyday life.
Thesis: Individuals should react to the advent of AI cautiously and curiously because humans are not aware of what super intelligence will turn out to be in the next century or so and also because their fate depend on the continued benevolence of the machines created through AI.
First point: They lack the natural capability to biologically analyze issues and give reasons for their choices as the human brain is capable of doing
Supporting Detail: The digital computer, for example, is able to carry out calculations but it cannot explain the variations between the various sets of data that have been fed into it (Searle 2)
Supporting Detail: The understanding capacity of computers or other machine created through AI is quite different from the human understanding.
Supporting Detail: The Watson computer created by IBM was a mere ingenious program that cannot however think like the human brain
Second point: the advent of AI machines is increasingly becoming a threat to the livelihood of many people as they are infiltrating every aspect of employment organizations (Baker 1)
Supporting Detail: As IBM computers and others with similar capabilities find their way in pharmaceutical labs, law offices, and hospitals, people currently working in these organizations have had to adjust or face the risk of losing their jobs
Supporting Detail: There may be fewer jobs for writers, creative types and entertainers in the next century with continued AI research (Marcus 2).
Supporting Detail: This raises problems not only for individuals but also the society in general as these people have to be ahead of these machines and add value in ways that is unmatched.
Reason Two: The advent of AI also creates challenges concerning how exactly educational institutions should prepare students to perfectly fit in the labor market in which almost every question is answered by machines.
First point: It becomes difficult to customize the educational curriculum in a unique manner and standardize lessons on such human skills
Supporting Detail: Just like the impacts of globalization with respect to competitiveness, artificial intelligence machines such as computers have to some extent replaced human cognitive ability or acted as a substitute
Supporting Detail: People therefore have to be highly competitive to match this challenge, something that is a herculean task.
Supporting Detail: People must go where computers such as IBM cannot go in order to survive, to survive; otherwise they will be rendered irrelevant
Second point: The cautious approach to AI should be informed by the fact that AI research is likely to pose a threat to the ability of human beings to think and act creatively
Supporting Detail: the use of machines in translation and interpretation is likely to make people less intelligent and philosophical as they will give up or stop asking questions (Heaven 5).
Supporting Detail: There are high stakes when machines are now taking over the role of making important decisions concerning medical diagnosis, mortgage applications and criminal guilt.
Supporting Detail: people are likely to get used to life choices being made on their behalf by these machines thus killing the culture of creativity and scrutiny
Reason Three: AI research efforts towards the stimulation of the human brains through machines are still primitive and premature according to Marcus (4).
First point: Despite the emergence of AI, human beings are still incapable of creating machines that have vision, common sense, ability to create other machines and the natural language processing ability that the human brain has.
Supporting Detail: AI poses serious threat to the human future due to the likelihood of human machines like robots turning into other dangerous things due to the self-preservation of their creators and their need to control global resource such as energy (Marcus 4)
Supporting Detail: It lacks human values such as humility, selflessness and benevolence (Marcus 5)
Supporting Detail: The AI machines may also turn out to be a danger to human life
Rebuttal
Opposing Viewpoint
“Big data analysis can see things that we miss; it knows us better than we know ourselves” (Heaven 5).
Counter argument
AI has enhanced our ability to find solutions to common human problems due to its ability to carry out tasks the human brain cannot even fathom, such as psychoanalysis for mental patients. Super-intelligence does everything that the human mind does much faster (Bostrom 3)
Works Cited
Baker, Stephen. “Watson is far from elementary.” Wall Street Journal 17, (2011). Print
Bostrom, Nick. “Get ready for the dawn of super intelligence.” New Scientist 223.2976, (2014): 26-27. Print.
Heaven, Douglas. “Higher state of mind.” New Scientist 219.2929 (2013): 32-35. Print.
Marcus, Gary. “Why we should think about the threat of artificial intelligence.” The New Yorker. 24 Oct. 2013. Web. 4 June 2016. http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/why-we- should-think- about-the-threat-of-artificial-intelligence
Searle, John. “Watson doesn’t know it won on ‘Jeopardy’; IBM invented an ingenious program- not a computer that can think.” Wall Street Journal (Online), (2011). Print
