The dawn of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is over, and Humankind is now in the middle of an explosion of numerous advances on AI. In 2016 alone Forbes reported that the worldwide investments for AI amounted between $8 billion to $12 billion and by 2033, Goldstein Research predicted, AI will be a $14 billion industry. Establishments in the healthcare and financial industries invest heavily in AI because the market trend is moving towards that direction, and the risk of being obliterated from the industrial scene is far greater than riding the bandwagon with the rest of the competition.

Artificial Intelligence may outdo humans in terms of speed and productivity, but humans are still needed to control, to oversee, to have a check and balance on these robotics because without proper guidelines these once grand developments made for mankind may be the source of destruction of the very same people they are supposed to help.

Human Uncertainties on AI

As much as there are enthusiasts of Artificial Intelligence (AI), there are also those who are much reserved, and some are even opposed to such developments. One of Society’s major concerns in AI is the threat to human existence, in other words, human extinction. Some cynics raise their concern that if AI evolves and turns into a super-intelligent, self-sustaining system, it could outsmart its human operators and eventually develop its own program to follow and accomplish.

The program or function primarily installed by a human developer or operator may not be accurately in-line with human values that AI could take the command literally and perform what is needed to complete its function, without any concern for the life of human beings.

If human intelligence can be replicated by Artificial Intelligence, then humankind will face a new kind of threat.

This threat goes deeper than human extinction, this threat may be pointing right back towards the human developers and operators of AI. A grave possibility is the misuse of artificial intelligence by humans if humans can overcome the threat of robots and supercomputers superseding them the next most probable concern is when humans abuse the capabilities of AIs and use it to ensure their own existence and control over society.

Humans and AI can coexist

Several experts and forerunners in the fields of I.T., Science, and other sectors have expressed their concerns on the recent developments on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the path that it might take us. They are also outright in suggesting some ideas that will not hinder AI advances but rather to protect both society and AI technology. Elon Musk and Stephen Hawking asserted that government regulations are needed to ensure that AI technology will not be used for avaricious benefits. Hawking also suggested that there should be an unbiased global governing body who will serve as the vanguard of such advancements. Musk created and co-founded companies that can help in monitoring and regulating AI technology.

He co-founded Open AI, a non-profit research company that aims to guide IT development to innovations that will benefit humanity. He also co-founded Neuralink, a neurotechnology company that aims to create implantable brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). This technology can expand a human brain’s processing power so it can adapt to the fast-paced AI system.

Humans need not be hostile towards AI developments rather humans should be receptive to its wondrous benefits. In order to protect and preserve human existence, people should spend equal time in learning more about the complex methods of AI technology, its limitations, and its obvious and hidden capabilities. It is essential for people to learn how to adapt to this imminent phase in mankind’s existence, failure to cope up with such development might lead to destructive results.

It is even more essential for people to keep in check their fellow species. If selfish ambitions get in the way of progress, AI will surely be caught in the middle of it, taking the blame and hatred from the oppressed.