AI – Should it be the World’s Moral Compass?  

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Introduction  

Technology advancements have significantly changed our lives, businesses, and livelihoods. The invention of computers has made it easier for businesses to run their operations more efficiently. The world has been better because of novel applications of technology like artificial intelligence (AI).  

 Numerous theories have been put forth regarding how or even when AI would eliminate jobs since its inception. The truth is that these artificial intelligence systems have been invented to make people’s workloads easier.  

 AI software is the only tool available, and it is already changing the world in positive ways. People should not be concerned about the future of AI because, like all tools, it can be used to either ruin or fix something! Exponential growth in AI will drive companies to seek greater human diversity, while innovators seek uncharted territory, implying a strong call for creativity.  

 

The Evolution of AI  

AI is an all-encompassing term for technologies or systems that are based on the idea of simulating human intelligence. AI systems can replicate some forms of human intelligence like reasoning, learning, planning, and problem-solving.  

 AI can be considered sentient, being able to think and make decisions like human beings. Additionally, this is an idea in which Computational Intelligence can use Machine Learning protocol to find ways for themselves to improve its efficiency. AI is already present in many unrelated industries including surgery, law, and engineering. One of the newest uses for Artificial Intelligence is finance and economics because AI has helped investors find their way by analyzing quotes and securities accounts.  

 One of the first instances of what is considered artificial intelligence was John McCarthy in his work published in 1956 titled “Communication with a Large Annual Machine”. AI is always evolving and improving, just like almost everything else. Experience and data are crucial components of an AI’s improvement process.  

 

The Impact of AI on Society  

We live in a world where artificial intelligence affects almost every aspect of our lives. This provides us with opportunities to build a better world, but we must be careful not to succumb to the dangers that this new power brings. AI is portrayed as a powerful force for good, with the potential to be used for the public good and the benefit of humanity. We cannot reconcile the safety and accountability gaps that may arise from the deployment of intelligent autonomous systems without considering the wide range of values that people hold. Bias from one socioeconomic system or cultural group may result in exclusion and control, resulting in unequal rights or opportunities.  

 Globally, there has been a lot of discussion about the ramifications of recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). AI devices are gradually making their way into homes and workplaces as science fiction begins to become reality. This is causing some to worry about the potential negative consequences of AI on the labour market or even the risks of an AI revolution, where sentient machines take control of the world and obliterate humans.  

While these are all valid points of debate, the fact remains that the focus of AI should not be solely on cool home gadgets or process optimization and automation. Instead, artificial intelligence can be used to fundamentally rethink how we solve the world’s problems.  

 

Artificial Intelligence Future – Less Artificial, More Intelligent  

Artificial intelligence has advanced swiftly, from autonomous cars to voice automation in homes, and is no longer just a sci-fi movie or book notion. Unlike the predictions made in the acclaimed movie “Minority Report,” which takes place in 2054, artificial intelligence is developing quicker today. An Oxford University study found that artificial intelligence will surpass humans in a variety of tasks by the years 2024, 2026, 2031, 2049, and 2053 respectively. These tasks include translating languages, writing essays for school, selling commodities, and performing surgery. In the coming years, artificial intelligence (AI) will permeate every aspect of our life and eventually surpass human intellectual capacity.  

•  Imagine using facial recognition software instead of a key to enter your hotel room. Your face will serve as your identity, making daily transactions more straightforward and effective.  
•  Prepare for smaller drones to bring your purchases right to your door within minutes of placing an order.  
•  Artificial intelligence-based virtual assistants will make human-like phone calls to schedule an appointment at, say, your local hairdresser while considering the context and subtlety of the conversation.  
•  Get ready to undergo surgery with a robot surgeon. In a few years, a physical surgeon won’t be involved in the procedure at all; instead, a robot will do it and assist patients in better understanding their treatment options.  

 These are just a few examples of how artificial intelligence will alter the course of history. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Future advancements may appear to be a long way off, but they will arrive sooner than we can imagine. Top technology companies are racing to incorporate artificial intelligence into our daily lives, paving the way for a truly fantastic and exciting artificial intelligence future.  

 

Advantages of Artificial Intelligence  

The advantages of Artificial intelligence applications are enormous and can revolutionize any professional sector. Let’s see some of them.  

1. Reduction in Human Error: 

Humans occasionally make mistakes, which is how the term “human error” came to be. Computers, on the other hand, do not make these errors if they are properly programmed. Artificial intelligence makes decisions based on previously gathered data using a specific set of algorithms. As a result, errors are reduced, and the possibility of achieving greater accuracy with greater precision exists.  

2. Takes risks instead of Humans: 

This is one of the most significant benefits of artificial intelligence. We can overcome many of humanity’s risky limitations by developing an AI robot that can do the risky things for us. It can be used effectively in any type of natural or man-made disaster, whether it is going to Mars, defusing a bomb, exploring the deepest parts of the oceans, mining for coal & oil, and so on.  

3. Available 24×7: 

A typical human will work for 6-8 hours per day, excluding breaks. Humans are designed in such a way that they can take some time off to refresh themselves and prepare for a new day of work, and they even have weekly off-days to keep their work-life and personal lives in sync. But, unlike humans, we can use AI to make machines work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with no breaks.  

4. Assisting with Repetitive Tasks: 

In the course of our daily work, we will be doing a lot of repetitive tasks like sending thank-you notes and checking documents for errors, among other things. We can use artificial intelligence to productively automate these mundane tasks and even remove “boring” tasks for humans, freeing them up to be more creative.  

5. Digital Support: 

Some of the most advanced organisations interact with users using digital assistants, which reduces the need for human resources. Many websites use digital assistants to provide things that users desire. We can discuss our requirements with them. Some chatbots are designed in such a way that it is difficult to tell whether we are interacting with a chatbot or a human being.  

6. Quicker Decisions: 

Using AI in conjunction with other technologies, we can make machines make decisions and carry out actions faster than humans. When making a decision, humans consider many factors, both emotionally and practically, but an AI-powered machine works on what it is programmed to do and delivers results faster.  

7. Daily Applications: 

With the invention of AI, daily applications such as Apple’s Siri, Microsoft’s Cortana, and Google’s OK Google are frequently used in our daily routines, whether it’s for searching for a location, taking a selfie, making a phone call, responding to an email, or many other things.  

8. New Inventions: 

AI is powering numerous inventions in nearly every domain, which will assist humans in solving the most complex problems.  

 

Disadvantages of Artificial Intelligence  

Every bright side has a darker counterpart. Artificial intelligence has some drawbacks. Let’s take a look at some of them.  

1. Expensive Creation: 

Since AI is constantly evolving, hardware and software must be updated to meet the most recent requirements. Machines require repair and maintenance, which incurs significant costs. Because they are extremely complex machines, their creation necessitates exorbitant costs.  

2. Making People Lazy: 

Since AI applications are automating most of the work, it is making humans lazy. Humans are prone to becoming addicted to these inventions, which may pose a problem for future generations.  

3. Unemployment: 

As AI replaces most of the repetitive tasks and other tasks with robots, human interference is decreasing, which will cause a significant problem in employment standards. Every organisation is looking to replace the least qualified employees with AI robots that can do similar work more efficiently.  

4. No Emotions: 

Machines are undeniably superior when it comes to efficiency, but they cannot replace the human connection that defines a team. Machines cannot form bonds with humans, which is a necessary characteristic of team management.  

5. A lack of unconventional thinking: 

Machines can only complete the tasks for which they were created or programmed; when given tasks that are outside of those parameters, they frequently crash or produce useless results that could have significant ramifications.  

 

Conclusion  

According to PwC research, artificial intelligence has the potential to contribute an estimated $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030. In today’s fast-paced and competitive economy, this exponential growth represents the most significant commercial opportunity.  

Every invention or breakthrough will have both, but we as humans need to take care of that and use the positive sides of the invention to create a better world. Artificial intelligence has massive potential advantages. The key for humans will ensure the “rise of the robots” doesn’t get out of hand.  

 

To wrap up, AI is nothing but the next frontier for creativity and jobs. It will not replace humans, but it will amplify the power of their efforts through automation and require different skill sets.  

 

“[AI] is going to change the world more than anything in the history of mankind. More than electricity.”— AI oracle and venture capitalist Dr Kai-Fu Lee