That’s why I say in 2030, most people won’t be better due to AI. … The problems to which we are applying machine learning and AI are generally not ones that will lead to a ‘better’ life for most people. People’s blind dependence on digital tools is deepening as automated systems become more complex and ownership of those systems is by the elite.”īy 2030, we may cram more activities and interactions into our days, but I don’t think that will make our lives ‘better.’ Baratunde Thurstonīaratunde Thurston, futurist, former director of digital at The Onion and co-founder of comedy/technology start-up Cultivated Wit, said, “For the record, this is not the future I want, but it is what I expect given existing default settings in our economic and sociopolitical system preferences. The trade-off for the near-instant, low-friction convenience of digital life is the loss of context about and control over its processes. Here is a selection of responses from these experts that touch on this:Īn anonymous respondent summed up the concerns of many, writing, “The most-feared reversal in human fortune of the AI age is loss of agency. They say people hand over some control of their lives because of the perceived advantages they gain via digital tools – efficiency, convenience and superior pattern recognition, data storage, and search-and-find capabilities. Many of the experts who worry about this say humans accede to this in order to stay competitive, to participate socially and professionally in the world, to be entertained and to get things done. Individuals who function in this digital world sacrifice, to varying degrees, their independence, right to privacy and power over choice. They note that decision-making on key aspects of life is ceded to code-driven tools. Many experts in this canvassing said that as AI advances human autonomy and agency are at risk. What is the future of humans in an age of accelerating technological change?
The systems underpinning today’s global financial markets, businesses, militaries, police forces, and medical, energy and industrial operations are all dependent upon networked AI of one type or another. Today’s smart, networked, software-equipped devices, cars, digital assistants and platforms, such as Google search and Facebook social mapping, accomplish extremely complex tasks. Today, these tools are quickly evolving to master human traits such as reason, logic, learning, task-performance and creativity. For years, code-based tools in robots and other systems have performed repetitive tasks like factory-floor assembly activities. They are, however, continually becoming more powerful thanks to developments in machine learning and natural language processing and advances in materials science, networking, energy-storage and hardware capabilities.ĪNI is machine intelligence that equals or exceeds people’s abilities or efficiency at a specific task. Today’s ever-advancing artificial narrow intelligence (ANI) tools – for instance, search engines and digital “agents” such as Siri, Alexa and Cortana – are not close to reaching the goal of human-like artificial general intelligence (AGI).
The use of AI reduces individuals’ control over their livesĪutonomous systems can reduce or eliminate the need for human involvement in some tasks. The sections of this chapter will cover experts’ answers tied to these themes. A few also worried about the wholesale destruction of humanity. The five most-often mentioned concerns were: 1) the use of AI reduces individuals’ control over their lives 2) surveillance and data systems designed primarily for efficiency, profit and control are inherently dangerous 3) displacement of human jobs by AI will widen economic and digital divides, possibly leading to social upheaval 4) individuals’ cognitive, social and survival skills will be diminished as they become dependent on AI and 5) citizens will face increased vulnerabilities, such as exposure to cybercrime and cyberwarfare that spin out of control and the possibility that essential organizations are endangered by weaponized information. A clear majority of the responses from these experts contained material outlining certain challenges, fears or concerns about the AI-infused future.