Artificial Intelligence (AI) is fast becoming the new frontier of technology and the next target for investment. It is also a phenomenon that is forcing institutions that use it to change the way they do their work.
AI is “a branch of computer science focused on building machines capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving and understanding language.” I have been at meetings where AI is discussed as an asset that can gather and organize information quickly as well as convert it to excellent reports.
However, although it is a very helpful tool that can produce superior research writings using the web universal information system, it can also compromise written work by students and faculty because there is an opportunity to create academic papers that are not all authored by the person whose name is on the document. Because of this, the education industry has already begun to look for ways to benefit from AI while working to mitigate its negative effects on scholarship.
At the same time, issues like this are relatively small when compared to the potential effect of AI on our civilization. An inkling of this is the food for thought offered by the notion of information systems working with AI machines that are empowered to make decisions for the rest of us.
I am reminded of this when thinking of Alexa, the AI Amazon product that many have to help manage their households. Alexa, “a cloud-based voice artificial intelligence that processes spoken commands,” interpret intent, makes decisions and even talks back when pressed.
It leads to the question of, what if machines that can gather information and potentially know more about everything than humans, decide that it is their responsibility to take over and manage our lives? The concept has already been part of our fictional reality for almost a century.
Famous characters in this vein are the Transformers that began as popular Japanese toys in the middle of the 1980s, followed by comic characters, television series and movies. The most popular of these machine figures is Megatron who first appeared in a 1986 animated film as “the tyrannical leader of the Deceptions” who had been corrupted by power.
Megatron went on to become part of the Transformers series of other movies beginning in 2007.
Another kind of AI character is Lt. Commander DATA in “Star Trek: The New Generation” who has an evil brother named Lore.
My favorite TV series that deals with the theme is “Battlestar Galactica,” a sequence that began in 1978 “about the last remnants of humanity fleeing a robotic Cylon attack in search of Earth.” The episodes illustrate my point with regard to the creation of an AI world that eventually leads to our own demise.
It is hard to imagine that what is left of a giant civilization made up of 12 planets was so destroyed that the survivors fit into one starship. It is also a sad commentary on a humanity that focused on creating a race of AI machines for progress and comfort only to become their rivals and victims.
AI is sweeping the global landscape with the promise of creating higher available intelligence for more efficient lives for our species especially now that we are embarking on a renewed space travel initiative and the future that it represents.
The rush to invest in this new and exciting horizon needs to be accompanied by thoughtful consideration about the meaning and dimensions of the new creature.
The views expressed by David Conde are not necessarily the views of LaVozColorado. Comments and responses may be directed to News@lavozcolorado.com.
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