There is an interesting series of opinion surveys conducted by the PEW Research Foundation which examines the opinions of Americans on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI). Chief among them, in my view, was the survey of public awareness of AI in daily use which I was astonished to find so many Americans unaware of how ubiquitous AI is in our daily lives. Clearly, the survey showed that younger people and people with higher education had greater awareness of AI in our daily lives, but even among that group there is an astonishing level of unawareness.
AI is ubiquitous in our daily lives. It is in our cell phones, security cameras, fitness trackers, email service, music playlists, help utilities such as Google’s Alexa and Samsung’s Bixby, customer support chatbots, telephone answering services, and a million other places. It is used in corporations for screening and hiring job applicants and, of course, for automating literally thousands of production processes. AI is currently being developed for driverless vehicles including automobiles, buses, trucks, boats, ships, aircraft and armed weapons systems. There is literally no mundane human function that cannot be replicated by AI – even executive decision making. So how do we feel about that and what concerns does that give us for the future? Those were the questions posed in the PEW Research surveys on the use of AI.
Not surprisingly, the results of the surveys were mixed. Some people believed it would have a serious negative impact on jobs while a larger number believed the impact would be both good and bad and many had no opinion. Women and older people tended to be more skeptical about the benefits of AI. Many people objected to the use of AI in their personal healthcare. Others were concerned about driverless vehicles. And the surveys go on from there. But all the surveys missed the key point that needs to be addressed about the emerging technology, and that is how it is to be used.
AI is simply another tool for human use – like a hammer, screw driver, automobile, computer, or a gun. Any tool can be used for good or evil. Early in the research of the atom, peaceful uses of atomic energy were envisioned that would substantially enrich human lives – then came the bomb. Early in the development of AI , numerous uses were (and still are) envisioned for improving our lives – and then came the armed drones. For all its potential to enrich human lives, AI has equal potential for increasing death and destruction. Like a hammer can be used to drive a nail, it can also be used to crush a skull. The impact of any tool on our future depends on who controls it and how it is used.
The discussion we need to have is not about the possible impact of AI on our future, but who will control it and for what purpose will it be used – because that is what the future impact will depend on. Yes, we need to increase the pubic awareness of the ubiquitous presence of AI, but we also need to increase the public awareness of its destructive potential as well as it’s constructive potential. And most importantly, we need to increase the public awareness of the character and the motivations of the elected officials who will determine which AI technologies will be developed, and when and how they will be used. There is no doubt in my mind that AI has the potential to enrich human lives, but it also has the potential, when combined with modern weapons, to bring about the end of civilization as we know it – and perhaps even the extinction of the human species.