When do we compete with AI — and do we really have to?
AI becomes a bigger and bigger part of our lives. But in which direction does it go? And in which direction should it go?
First: We already using AI. These — to explain it very shortly — are clever algorithms. They’re in our smartphones for taking better pictures, for getting better search results at Google and they’re telling you what to watch on Netflix. On the other hand there is the so called AGI — an Artificial General Intelligence. This is a superhuman AI. Means: It tops humans in all disciplines. So in this text it technically goes about AGI.
So basically what the world is missing at this point is AGI. We’ve seen some superhuman skills done by a computer. One very impressive example is the AlphaGo, a DeepMind AI which has beaten the worlds best Go Player Lee Sedol 4:1.
But think about what would happen when there is an AI better in just everything we’re about to do.
Some safety Issues
Nobody knows when exactly this is about to happen. Some experts say 10 years, some 50, some never. Very obviously there are lots of company working on the improvement of AI. That means: There is competition. Who ever is first in developing some superhuman AI „wins“, may that means the AI is not developed completely safe. This could cause some safety issues.
I think at one point in time there will be some sort of AI which is much smarter than us. Interesting would be if this creature will live with us. Or if it hasn’t any interest hanging around with us dumb humans. I hope we can use AI for the good.
Even when we’re smarter and able to kill wild animals all the time, we simply won’t do. Same goes for humanity itself. There are more than seven billion people living on this planet. And besides some wars we’re peaceful most of the time. Imagine how many people and animals we could kill in just one day. It’s insane. But we don’t do it, we’re comfortable living together (most of the time). And for sure we’re not always have the same opinion. We’re not have the same goals.
What are our goals?
My hope really is that we can figure out a way, how to live together with AI. How both can have their benefits from that. But to reach that goal we have to make clear what our goals are. Do we want the AI to help us with our biggest problems? Do we think there are some problems we’re not able to handle anymore like climate change, civil wars and more? And do we know what the AI should do about this problems? Or are we just sitting there and waiting till the AI has figured out a way? But for what?
Once there is an AI smarter than us in all disciplines it’ll improve itself all the time. It’ll getting smarter and smarter, will find new ways we’re not able to think of. The thinking will go on a level we can’t even imagine.
These are very interesting questions. I am definitely not an expert at this topic. I have no answers. For now.
Jona Chow
Book recommendation
A few last words: I really can recommend the book Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence* from Max Tegmark. It’s so clear and wonderful to read and provides lots of information how live is about to change in the future.
BTW: Please, please, please: clap, share or comment. What do you say? What should AI do for us and in which world you want to live in in the future? I would love to hear your thoughts on this very exciting topic.
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