Artificial intelligence is not a threat to humanity
An independent report by a group of scientists commissioned by the US Defense Department argues that the increasingly impressive developments in the field of artificial intelligence are in no way a threat to humanity, as some prominent figures have recently suggested.
The report’s authors say that concern about the development of artificial intelligence comes from excessive media attention by journalists and science fiction writers about the progress of so-called Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), or Strong Artificial Intelligence, relating to attempts to create intelligence in machines that can successfully perform any intellectual task carried out by humans. This generalist approach to artificial intelligence, while obviously provocative and highly (if not excessively) visible, is presently restricted, limited in its progress, and the results of which are far from disturbing. The fears it generates in some quarters do not correspond to the facts: at present, the attention devoted to the development of machines capable of making long-term decisions or thinking and acting like human beings is scarce.
On the other hand, the development of artificial intelligence, whether relevant to the DoD or in other areas, focuses more on enhancing the abilities of humans and freeing us from certain tasks, rather that substituting us as such. In fact, one of the most promising areas at the present time, the development of autonomous vehicles that drive more safely than humans do, has just received a major accolade from another US government agency, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which has closed its investigation into the single fatal accident, involving a Tesla that was using its so-called Autopilot, and concluding that not only does it make no sense to recall vehicles with that system, but affirming that there are no defects in its operation and virtually congratulating the company for having obtained a 40% reduction in the number of accidents. The report, which Tesla welcomes in a brief statement, completely exonerates the company for the accident and reinforces the argument that automated driving systems can contribute significantly to the reduction of road accidents.
Regardless of what science-fiction movies might say, the idea that artificial intelligence poses a threat to humanity or that machines will develop consciousness and attack human beings has no grounding in reality. Instead, we need to see artificial intelligence as a source of many advantages, of aids and improvements to our lives through all types of advances. So let’s forget the menacing robot and focus on the development of artificial intelligence as a new frontier for humanity.
(En español, aquí)
