3. Artificial Intelligenc

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

So, what is the sentient or ‘universal’ artificial intelligence that science fiction has frightened us so much about? What exactly is ‘narrow’ AI? Take, for example, the voice-activated assistant on a smartphone. Though your iPhone’s Siri assistant appears to be clever, it isn’t capable of true thought - at least not beyond the limited capabilities that machine learning and deep learning have enabled you to encode into it. It’s an example of ‘narrow’ AI, or more specifically, a hybrid AI that uses a bunch of ‘narrow’ AI abilities (mainly voice recognition) to tap into the vast reams of constantly updated data in the cloud to create the appearance of superhuman intellect.

Siri’s ability to instantaneously access all of the internet’s knowledge does not imply that it is capable of creative thought or reasoning; it is just performing a duty that it has been trained to do exceptionally well. Only when Siri is capable of performing any action that a human can perform will it be called a true AI. And no artificial intelligence has ever been able to do so — at least not yet. So, how far-reaching is AI going to be? In this case, there are two schools of opinion. The first group includes people like Bill Gates and Stephen Hawking, who are concerned about the rise of superintelligence. They see a day when the development of a ‘general’ AI triggers a ‘intelligence explosion,’ in which AIs are capable of teaching themselves new skills at a breakneck pace, eventually surpassing human capabilities to the point where they enslave humans. This bleak future image, dubbed the ‘technical singularity,’ is mitigated by the fact that it is more of a philosophical worry than a practical one — there is no factual proof that AI will reach this point.

Likewise, there is no undeniable proof that it could not happen. The second group sees AI’s advancement in a significantly more practical light. The intelligence explosion will not happen, but today’s ‘narrow’ AI will continue to dominate. That isn’t to imply that ‘narrow’ artificial intelligences won’t be extremely beneficial in the future. Their abilities will expand at an exponential rate, and while they won’t be able to think creatively, they will become extremely proficient and efficient in hyper-specific tasks where context is limited and nuanced interpretation is unnecessary. It’s here that the colliding realms of AI and robotics will have the greatest impact on people.

Figure 18: Artifical Intelligence Illustrations.

01. MACHINE LEARNING

Algorithms sift through massive amounts of data in order to learn about its contents in the context of a specific need and make a choice about whether or not to perform that task.

02. DEEP LEARNING

This method employs neural networks, which are designed to emulate the neurons in our brains in order to better mimic how humans think.

03. BIG DATA

Big Data refers to the massive amounts of data we generate, store, transmit, and share on a daily basis through our devices and sensors, as well as how we may use it collectively to uncover connections and build patterns of behaviour.

IS IT WISE TO FEAR AI?

We’ve already seen robots capable of doing simple repetitive jobs, such as those found on a factory assembly line. However, the development of ever-improving AI will hasten AI adoption and lead to robots capable of performing increasingly complicated tasks. This is where some AI concern is justified. Artificially intelligent robots, even those powered by ‘narrow’ AI, will become so efficient at certain occupations that they will become less expensive to hire than human labour. Low-skilled occupations such as truck driving, assembly line labour, and customer-facing retail roles are most likely to be replaced by AI-powered machines, at least at first.

The AI revolution isn’t the first time the workforce has had to deal with technological change and eventually come to terms with it. Contrary to popular belief at the time, the computer’s advent did not result in the abolition of all occupations; instead, it spawned a slew of new ancillary sectors. Could a job seeker in the 1940s have recognised the growing demand for digital artists in the video game industry? Or the growth of the app developer for smartphones? Or the YouTube sensation who is attempting to get into the music charts? None of these occupations would exist without computers. Similarly, AI-driven robotics will almost surely usher in a slew of new, previously unimagined vocations and sectors. It’s also worth noting the potential for ever-improving AI-driven robots to improve human lives. Consider the nighttime caretaker robot or the AI-enabled robot instructor who has infinite patience and knows the answer to every question. Imagine a calamity like the Fukushima nuclear meltdown, when the cleanup exposed hundreds of people to dangerous amounts of radiation. What if their jobs had been taken over by a smart, AI-powered robot? Remember that humans don’t always want to get their hands dirty.