The notion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) leaves me in a state of unease. On one hand, it could be a game-changing invention that surpasses human intelligence, while on the other hand, it could become an insidious threat that undermines humanity's worth and competency. The recent buzz around AI, specifically large language models like ChatGPT4 and Bard, has me rattled. Warren Buffet and Geoffrey Hinton, revered figures in their own right, have expressed concerns over AI's exponential growth. Hinton even went as far as to suggest that the danger of AI is greater than that of climate change. To support Hinton's argument, AI could be used to create sophisticated algorithms that can influence people's decision-making and thus be detrimental to our society. As the famous American psychologist B F Skinner once wrote: “The real question is not whether machines think but whether men do. The mystery which surrounds a thinking machine already surrounds a thinking man.”

Many experts are worried that AI technology could be used to manipulate people into making decisions that are not in their best interests, such as buying products they don't need or taking actions that are detrimental to their well-being. This is similar to a wolf in sheep's clothing - a seemingly harmless technology that has the potential to wreak havoc if it falls into the wrong hands. Just as we must be wary of the predators in our physical world, so too must we be cautious of the predators that lurk in our digital world. Cybercrime statistics show that a minimum of 422 million individuals were impacted, according to the FBI's internet crime records with 800,944 complaints registered in 2022. The Bible also warns us: “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb and the leopard shall lie down with the kid.”

Tech moguls like Sundar Pichai, Steve Wozniak, and Elon Musk have cautioned about the potential risks associated with AI misuse and manipulation. It's not just about jobs lost; it's also about privacy breaches, identity theft, and biased decision-making. AI systems can be trained on vast amounts of personal data, and in the wrong hands, this data can be weaponized to fuel hate speech and bigotry. For example, in the past year, an AI-driven chatbot released by Microsoft had to be shut down after it started expressing racist and sexist views on Twitter. The potential consequences of ill-conceived AI technology can be far-reaching and devastating; not only can they cause economic hardship, but they can also lead to violations of personal privacy and a lack of trust in technology. For instance, misuse of facial recognition technology, such as its use in surveillance, can result in a loss of personal freedom and privacy, as well as an erosion of trust in public institutions.

So, what do we do? Should we halt AI development altogether? That's an impractical solution. We can't put the genie back in the bottle. AI innovation has taken on a life of its own. Instead, we need to work towards mitigating the risks and ensuring the responsible use of AI. We need to develop ethical frameworks, invest in research and development, and strengthen regulations to govern AI use. It's also vital that policymakers, researchers, businesses, and civil society organizations collaborate to navigate the potential risks associated with AI. This is the only way to ensure that AI is used in a responsible and ethical manner and that its potential risks are minimized. AI has the potential to create massive disruption and inequality, but if we take the right steps, it can also be used to create a more equitable and prosperous future. For example, a collaboration between businesses, civil society organizations, and governments could lead to the development and implementation of an AI-driven alert system that helps identify and address social and economic disparities more quickly and effectively. This is akin to building a bridge to cross a river: it requires careful planning, resources, and strong collaboration to build it, but it can drastically reduce the amount of time it takes to get from one side to the other.

In short, the rise of AI is a double-edged sword, and we need to handle it with utmost care. Let's harness the power of AI to complement human efforts and make our lives better, but let's not forget that we need to do so in an ethical, responsible, and secure way. This is like a knife: it can be used to create some amazing culinary dishes, but if used incorrectly, it can be incredibly dangerous. We need to make sure we handle AI with the same caution and care.

https://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/internet/ai-could-replace-80-of-jobs-in-next-few-years-expert/100086493