AI in overdrive

Blue holograms representing humans on spaceships — that was the image of artificial intelligence 20 years ago. Only when chess grandmaster Garri Kasparov was beaten by IBM’s Deep Blue, this stereotype started changing. Since then, artificial intelligence has found its way into many different areas and has become ubiquitous in research, technology and numerous companies. Consequently, one of the most promising professions of the 21st century is the AI ​​specialist, who in turn comes from a variety of technical and scientific disciplines. Artificial intelligence is nothing less than an everyday and interdisciplinary phenomenon. But what are the opportunities and risks?

If you think of AI, you can not ignore Stephen Hawking (1942–2018). The physicist and astrophysicist worked with a voice computer and showed time and time again the impressive synthesis between man and machine. He regularly researched AI and developed the message: We must drive the development of artificial intelligence in a controlled manner.

Hawking also dared to look to the future: intelligence is defined as the ability to adapt to given conditions; adaptive AI systems can also optimize themselves independently. This sooner or later leads to a true expansion of intelligence, a veritable explosion of intelligence. Artificial intelligence itself can evolve to intervene in all areas of human intelligence and enhance it accordingly, for example in the the fight against illness, famine or even in the fight against poverty.

AI without speed limit

AI seems unstoppable. The performance of our conventional hardware (computers, smartphones, tablets) is continuously increasing, based on Moore’s Law which postulates that the computing power of integrated circuits (computers) doubles on average every 18 months.

So if the optimization of the technical devices continues at this speed, it will not be long before artificial intelligence overtakes human intelligence. This can already be the case within the next 100 years.

Nevertheless, the outlook for the future of AI is not only positive: In 2015, Elon Musk, Stephen Hawking and a number of other AI experts signed an open letter warning humanity of the dangers of uncontrolled superintelligence. Philosophy and ethics in AI is one of the fastest growing branches of scientific research. However, with all the euphoria should not be forgotten: Artificial intelligence has the purpose to improve people’s lives and not endanger it.

Certification of AI

The science journalist and philosopher Manuela Lenzen also commented on this topic with the following key message: everyone should benefit as optimally as possible from AI. Therefore, the use of AI must take place under a set of rules, and an appropriate framework must be created. That is the only way to minimize risks and avoid negative developments. Lenzen proposes the introduction of a quality label for artificial intelligence to guarantee certain safety and quality requirements.

Lenzen also provides further insight into the current state of research. She describes how numerous laboratories are working to create human/computer interfaces aimed at developing so-called cyborgs: mixed beings of living organism and machine. For example, your body may be permanently supplemented with artificial components, or you may be sharing your organism with an AI and use it to expand your abilities. The term “cyborg” is an acronym for “cybernetic organism”.

Human and machine connect

In particular, the development of interfaces between computer and brain is progressing rapidly. Methods for digital transmission of ideas have already been successfully tested with rats. At the same time, biohybrid robots are being created: systems that connect living tissue and inorganic components. These consist of, for example, cardiac cells of rats or chickens in which microscopically small, autonomous drones operate.

Potential applications of bio-hybrids exist in medicine: As a “repair kit” of the future, the technology helps in cardiovascular and vascular surgery by stopping internal bleeding and to resolve arteriosclerosis, for example. If such and similar AI devices are able to replicate human emotions, consciousness, and empathy, there will be further applications for the human brain.

Feelings basically consist of function and experience. Pain, for example, fulfills a warning function. Thus, the brain recapitulates childhood experiences with the hot stove — the mentally repeated, remembered event keeps us away from hurting ourselves again. Equipped with appropriate sensors, robots can at least implement this warning function.

Experience as the second component of pain can be implemented rather inadequately by robots, since AI ​​requires consciousness-technical elements. A technical replica of consciousness is currently one of the core challenges of science. In fact, even a mere definition of human consciousness has not yet been accomplished. However, the central key aspect in this consideration is presumably self-reflection, since humans have a mental image of themselves. This raises further questions: Is it possible to copy consciousness? If so, how can one create consciousness artificially?

New life forms arise

Raymond Kurzweil, technical developer at Google, author and inventor, is considered a pioneer of speech synthesis and text recognition and has commented on the development of AI in several works, including “Human 2.0”. His prognosis: In just a few decades, AI has the ability to improve itself. Bodies and brains will have undergone major changes with the help of new technologies. New life forms and models will have emerged.

According to Evgeny Morozov, author of “Smart New World”, today’s technical development should already be critically eyed. Although the technical achievements make it possible to connect people and keep the status of information up-to-date, so to speak, they enable a real-time awareness of information. However, they also prevent humans from thinking and to using our own mind. An example is the connection between Google Maps and the sense of human orientation, as navigation is “outsourced”.

Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee, authors of “The Second Machine Age”, claim that technology cannot solve all human problems. Thus every new technology, no matter with what noble intention it originated, invariably also has its dark side. Although the World Wide Web has led to a better accessibility of existing knowledge, it has also indirectly contributed to the division of society. They therefore urge consideration of possible negative aspects of a new technology.

Therefore, these prominent scientists argue that humans should exploit the opportunities of artificial intelligence, but do so in a well thought out manner. That is the only way to permanently minimize risks and recognize broader implications. A curious and alert look into the future is therefore their credo. For now, however, the ability to book a restaurant through voice commands, and to determine the fastest train connection by using an app reveals another essential advantage of all human creativity: the increase of comfort.

This article appeared first in the German magazine “Digitale Welt” and was translated with permission by the author.

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