The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race. It would take off on its own, and re-design itself at an ever-increasing rate. Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn’t compete, and would be superseded.”— Stephen Hawking
The aforementioned quote by Dr. Stephen Hawking, who was a theoretical physicist, cosmologist and author, was and still is considered one of the most brilliant minds in the world. He indicated that humans will one day be superseded by Artificial Intelligence. According to The National Humanities Center, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has infiltrated our daily lives—in the ways we conduct business, govern, provide healthcare and security, and communicate. The large-scale cultural and societal implications of these changes—and the ethical questions they raise—pose a serious challenge as we embrace a future increasingly shaped by the implementation of artificial intelligence technology. AI is the theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages. Are we entering entering a new Twilight Zone? Rod Serling said it best as he narrated the intro to each Twilight Zone TV show by saying: “You unlock this door with the key of imagination. Beyond it is another dimension – a dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind. You’re moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas.” We are now embarking on a shift into another dimension, and we are uncertain as to where it will lead. Artificial Intelligence is the science of making machines that can think like humans. It can do things that are considered “smart.” AI technology can process large amounts of data in ways humans cannot, and it will lead us to paths yet to be known, as humanity will change.
People seem to be afraid AI as they fear it will take their jobs, control industries and that the world will change dramatically over the next decades. A recent survey by Forbes indicated that many Americans still trust humans over AI by a large percentage. Those surveyed shared that they think people would do a better job of administering medicine, writing laws, and even choosing gifts, just to name a few. AI algorithms are only as unbiased as the data they are trained on, so biased data can lead to biased decisions. In terms of the environment, Artificial Intelligence can help reduce climate change in a number of ways, but it also has a large environmental footprint. It can help improve energy efficiency, improve climate models, reduce carbon emissions, map ocean litter and support vulnerable communities. However, AI also has an environmental downside as it consumes a lot of energy, water, and critical materials, while producing electronic waste. A coalition of environmental groups has expressed concern about how much more energy AI will consume in the coming years. So, will humans become cyborgs? Will we all turn into the character Data on Star Trek? Are we in a hologram or another dimension?
It seems that we are on the precipice of a new era and that we are about to experience the Twilight Zone Part Deux or perhaps be transported into The Matrix!! Hang tight, it’s going to be a wild ride. For more info on AI go to https://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/ or https://www.nationalacademies.org/
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