Central Themes
The main argument in this essay is that AI poses a significant threat to the normal functioning of military, government, economic and social aspects of life. As such, autonomous AI should not be pursued with the current ardent effort that most technology enthusiasts are using. The essay tries to advocate for caution in the use of AI in various sectors of contemporary life as if adequate checks and balances are not in place. AI may as well be the end of human life as we currently know it.
Organization of significant sections of the essay
The essay is organized into three parts where the first part explores the basic facts about Artificial Intelligence, the second part explores various views on the effects of Artificial intelligence, and the final part provides conclusions on how to resolve the issue.
Basic Facts about Artificial Intelligence
Emergence and development of Artificial Intelligence
The term AI was popularized at a conference held in Dartmouth College in the U.S in the 1950s. The conference had brought together key players in various sectors ranging from technology, governance, health, and education. At the time, there was much hype around the concept, with some terming it as new dawn where machines would perform most tasks that the contemporary human being did then. Over time, the hype dwindled as reality dawned on most people that AI was just a figment of their imagination that needed extensive work in order to materialize. Over the seven decades since the conference, stakeholders have made significant strides in the field. At the moment, AI is a real component with its effects seen and felt in many instances of contemporary life. Since the late 1990s, scientists and other key stakeholders have been at the forefront of developing machine-learning algorithms, a significant component of Artificial Intelligence.[footnoteRef:2] These machine-learning algorithms have developed at a fast pace due to the development of deep learning and reinforcement-learning techniques which are based on a human’s neural networks. Ideally, AI is simulating the functioning of a human brain in order to create a machine that is autonomous, just like the human brain. [2: Parakilas, J., and M. Cummings. "How AI changes the way we need to think about international affairs." Last modified 2018. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/07/how-ai-changes-the-way-we-need-to-think-about-international-affairs/.]
Other factors that have been at the forefront of contributing to the advancements in AI include; increase in computing power of current computers, innovations in the field of graphics and tensor processing units and increased accessibility of computer software and hardware to the mainstream public. These innovations are making AI development not only quick but also more complex and as such, heralding a new era of autonomous Artificial Intelligence.[footnoteRef:3] [3: Mukerji, S. "Globalisation, IT and governance." Globalisation, Environment and Social Justice, 2018, 386-401. doi:10.4324/9780429455766-18.]
Key aspects that make it global
As captured in the preceding paragraph, technological advancements are one of the factors that are aiding in the development of autonomous AI. Technology is a global issue where virtually everyone in the world knows someone who owns and has access to the internet. In the age of the Internet of Things, information travels within seconds, and as such, people share information concerning various topics, one of these topics being AI. The race for the development of a superior AI program is the current contention among most technological groups the world over. Just as Russia and the USA were fighting for the glory of being the first nation to land the first man on the moon, so is every country fighting to be the pioneer of an independent Artificial Intelligence program.
Some of the critical aspects that make AI global are; the technological advancements made in the field of computers, innovations in the contemporary world, the availability of educational material on the internet, the Internet of Things and availability of resources to pursue extensive research programs.[footnoteRef:4] As such, AI is a global matter where practically everyone in the globe is racing to secure a system which will revolutionize the way of doing things at the moment. Due to the availability of the factors mentioned above, much information is available on the internet and other credible sources about the Artificial Intelligence systems available. The other factor that makes AI global is the common problems that scientists and other researchers who are enthusiastic about the subject face. These issues make the groups mentioned above feel like they are in this race together as their problems are almost similar and therefore, their solutions lie in coming together to solve relevant problems. [4: Ibid.,]
Commentary on the Effects of Artificial Intelligence
Effects of AI on specific the military, economic installations and individuals, groups or non-state actors
Artificial Intelligence, is unchecked, has the potential to cause significant damage to a large number of groups in the current world. AI is as good as the data that scientists and other significant players key into the machine learning algorithms. There have been cases where AI systems have been the proponents of undesirable racist, sexist and other undesirable behaviors. The reason for this phenomenon is the failure of the relevant individuals to input the correct data leading to massive failure of these systems.
With regards to the military, autonomous AI can cause significant damage. The military has command of deadly weapons which can wipe out an entire nation, and if these weapons are placed under the command of autonomous AI, they can have catastrophic effects. Additionally, AI, just like other computer systems are prone to attacks from malicious individuals and in the case of the military, this can have disastrous consequences. Malicious groups can program AI to take over a country’s military power and use it as a tool of war which will have dire consequences on the countries involved.[footnoteRef:5] [5: De Araújo, A. B. "Semantic Information and Artificial Intelligence." Fundamental Issues of Artificial Intelligence, 2016, 129-140. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-26485-1_9.]
Economically, the use of autonomous AI has many advantages. However, the disadvantages outweigh them by a significant margin. Economic systems are sensitive to even the slightest changes in various variables, and as such, they require strict scrutiny to ensure that everything goes according to plan.[footnoteRef:6] Autonomous AI, can be prone to attacks from malicious people who would like to collapse a country’s economy and as such, no one country should leave these systems to machines. In this regard, autonomous AI can destroy a country’s economy. [6: Schopman, J. "Frames of Artificial Intelligence." The Question of Artificial Intelligence, 2018, 165-219. doi:10.4324/9780429505331-4.]
Specific problems unique to AI
As now, the issue specific to AI is the lack of a robust machine-learning algorithm that is immune to malicious attacks and capable of making informed decisions on its own. The issue poses a significant challenge to the development of a robust AI which can find use in many aspects of a country’s military installations, economy and other areas of an individual’s life. The lack of a robust machine-learning algorithm is the cause of the unpredictability of AI systems. Autonomy of AI systems is not guaranteed as they can wreak havoc in many areas in the global context. Adoption of AI systems can therefore not be a wise move as they are bound to create more problems than they would solve. The unpredictability of AI systems is a severe issue that contemporary scientists and other technology enthusiasts need to focus on in order to create better systems that are immune to attacks and acts of malice which are the cause of the current worry.
Why does the issue persist?
The issue of unpredictability exists because of the lack of a robust machine-learning algorithm. The algorithm’s function is to simulate the human’s brain in the execution of various tasks, and therefore, the lack of a robust system creates a significant flaw in AI systems.[footnoteRef:7] The issue is rampant in the contemporary world due to lack of advancements in the design and formulation of computer and technology systems which are the backbone of AI systems. [7: Bergh, L. "Artificial Intelligence in Mineral Processing Plants: An Overview." Proceedings of the 2016 International Conference on Artificial Intelligence: Technologies and Applications, 2016. doi:10.2991/icaita-16.2016.69.]
Conclusions
Prospects for resolving the issue
The issue of the unpredictability of autonomous AI systems is not only real but also presents an imminent danger to many aspects of a human’s life. Although unpredictability is a significant issue to AI in the current era, there are a variety of mitigation strategies that can counter this issue. One of these strategies is to create a forum where users of the current AI can flag irregularities in the system. The feedback from current users of AI can be instrumental in analyzing the irregularities in the present system and thus form a robust stepping stone for developing more advanced systems. Secondly, the current AI systems should have regular audits to check whether they are functioning optimally. These audits will reduce the likelihood of future AI systems being unpredictable and prone to malfunctions. Thirdly, before a system is rolled out to the public, serious testing on the various aspects of the functionality of the system need to be analyzed. The analysis will provide feedback as to how well the system will perform in various scenarios and hence, provide a pointer as to how predictable or unpredictable the system will be in execution of the required functions. Finally, users of various AI systems should have avenues for contesting undesirable outcomes. The implication of this is that if an autonomous AI system were meant to analyze financial data and provide useful feedback but fails to do so, the creators of the system would be held accountable. The move would ensure that the creators of AI systems will put significant efforts to ensure that they function optimally in order to avoid accountability for malfunctions.
Recommendations by experts
Experts in the field of computer technology concur that unpredictability of autonomous AI is still a significant risk to these systems. It is for this reason that most dominant players in the field like Google, Microsoft and Apple are spending vast amounts of money to perfect the current AI systems.[footnoteRef:8] The efforts made by these tech giants are a testimony to the significance of AI systems in future use in various sectors of life. Researchers and key stakeholders in the field need to work together for the common good of the public and the individual who will need to use autonomous AI shortly. A conglomeration of efforts from these persons will ensure that the next AI system will be more robust and reliable than the current ones in use. [8: De Araújo, A. B. "Semantic Information and Artificial Intelligence." Fundamental Issues of Artificial Intelligence, 2016, 129-140. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-26485-1_9.]
Recommendations best suited to solve the issue and why
All key players in the sector should join hands in developing an autonomous AI system that is capable of functioning without flaws. The inevitability of the matter is that AI is the next technological advancements and therefore, no one can do anything to stop this conclusion. However, key players in the sector can come together to develop a system that is free from the flaw and issues that plague Artificial Intelligence. Issues of unpredictability need to be laid to rest once and for all for the common good of the state, individual and other users of the system. To this end, unpredictability will stop being an issue with AI as all the checks and balances will be in place to limit the spillover effects of unpredictable systems.
Bibliography
Bergh, L. "Artificial Intelligence in Mineral Processing Plants: An Overview." Proceedings of the 2016 International Conference on Artificial Intelligence: Technologies and Applications, 2016. doi:10.2991/icaita-16.2016.69.
Brundage, M. "Artificial Intelligence and Responsible Innovation." Fundamental Issues of Artificial Intelligence, 2016, 543-554. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-26485-1_32.
De Araújo, A. B. "Semantic Information and Artificial Intelligence." Fundamental Issues of Artificial Intelligence, 2016, 129-140. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-26485-1_9.
Manyika, J., and J. Bughin. "The promise and challenge of the age of artificial intelligence." Last modified 2018. https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/artificial-intelligence/the-promise-and-challenge-of-the-age-of-artificial-intelligence.
Mukerji, S. "Globalisation, IT and governance." Globalisation, Environment and Social Justice, 2018, 386-401. doi:10.4324/9780429455766-18.
Parakilas, J., and M. Cummings. "How AI changes the way we need to think about international affairs." Last modified 2018. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/07/how-ai-changes-the-way-we-need-to-think-about-international-affairs/.
Schopman, J. "Frames of Artificial Intelligence." The Question of Artificial Intelligence, 2018, 165-219. doi:10.4324/9780429505331-4.
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