The IUP Journal of Computer Sciences
"It Is Going to Kill Us!" and Other Myths About the Future of Artificial Intelligence

Article Details
Pub. Date : Oct, 2018
Product Name : The IUP Journal of Computer Sciences
Product Type : Article
Product Code : IJCS11810
Author Name : Robert D Atkinson
Availability : YES
Subject/Domain : Management
Download Format : PDF Format
No. of Pages : 50

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Abstract

When it comes to Artificial Intelligence (AI), myths are spreading faster than the technology itself is advancing. Left unchecked, they could inspire fears that undermine the technology’s progress to the detriment of economic growth and social progress. AI is a branch of computer science that overlaps with other areas of study, including robotics, natural language processing, and computer vision. While AI has become commonplace, the public still has a poor understanding of the technology. As a result, a diverse cast of critics, driven by fear, opportunism or ignorance, has jumped into the intellectual vacuum to warn policymakers that, sooner than we think, AI will produce a parade of horribles. Indeed, these voices have grown so loud that their narratives may soon be accepted as truth. Needless to say, when AI is so demonized, there is a real risk that policymakers will seek to retard its progress. The truth is that AI systems are tools in the service of humans, and we can use them to make our lives vastly better. Given the promise that innovation in AI holds for economic growth and societal advancement, it is critical that policymakers actively support its further development and use. The paper provides a primer on AI and debunks five prevailing myths that, if accepted, threaten to slow or undermine its progress.


Description

The past decade has seen many important advancements in computer science that enable software systems to compile and process new information to continually improve the way they function. Indeed, with Artificial Intelligence (AI), computing is moving from something that ‘computes’ to something that effectively reasons, thinks and learns. In so doing, it is becoming an ever more powerful and valuable complement to human capabilities: improving medical diagnoses, weather prediction, supply-chain management, transportation and even personal choices about where to go on vacation or what to buy.


Keywords

Artificial Intelligence (AI), Automation, Privacy, Autonomous weapons