Technologies are developing at such a rapid pace in the modern world that they could soon represent a more severe threat to humanity than a nuclear war. Among these technologies, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the main cause of concern. According to the tech experts, AI will replace 70 percent of our current jobs in the next seven years and AI-driven machines will become capable of designing machines of their own in the next ten years. But, the experts also warn that this AI explosion imposes a bigger threat to humanity than a nuclear winter or climate change.
What are the views of futurists about unregulated AI?
The Director of the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University and the author of the 2014 bestseller, "Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies," Nick Bostrom is considered an expert in dystopian scenarios. In his book, he says, "Without knowing the prospects of AI, we humans are like small children playing with a bomb...We have a very little idea when detonation will occur, though we can hear a faint ticking sound if we hold the device close to our ear".
What Elon Musk and Stephen Hawking said about unchecked AI?
Elon Musk has also raised his voice to warn people about the risk of uncontrolled AI. He said that diabolical AI is just a few years away, so efforts must be increased to preemptively remove the possibility of a catastrophe in the future.
Stephen Hawkings expressed his concerns about AI in 2017. He said it would be the biggest event of human civilization to create an effective Artificial Intelligence, or it could be the worst. We don't know if we will be helped by AI or side-lined, ignored and conceivable destroyed by it. He believed that AI could bring great disruption to our economy.
It may offer powers to few to oppress many by introducing powerful autonomous weapons. In other words, it can cause a great danger to our civilization.
What was the role of Oppenheimer in putting an end to the use of nuclear weapons?
Oppenheimer and his team of scientists were given the task of developing a super weapon that could end the Second World War.
A few weeks after the completion of the Manhattan project (code name for the development of the atomic bomb), America dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After this incident, Oppenheimer wrote a letter to the US Secretary, expressing his wish to see nuclear weapons banned. His remorse at creating the atomic bomb forced him to lobby for a nuclear ban that resulted in a Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1970 which was duly signed by 189 countries and it has served as a cornerstone to control nuclear weapons ever since.
Final thoughts
Today, the world needs another Oppenheimer to regulate AI. It took mass destruction for him to realize that science could destroy the whole world. If it follows the same pattern, it would take a massive mishap before the world's leaders focus on the possibility of oblivion and some fear that this time it may not be reversible.
