Why is AI?
The term artificial intelligence was coined in 1956 by one of the fathers of AI, John McCarthy [1, p. 24]. His goal with artificial intelligence was to make machines solve problems that were then thought of as only solvable by humans. Frankish and William offer a simple definition of AI: “The attempt to make computers do the sorts of things human and animal minds can do” [2, p. 339]. Google defines AI as a “computer program that learns and adapts”. Tegmark defines AI as “non-biological intelligence” [3], while Boden defines it to be something that “seeks to make computers do the sort of things that minds can do” [4, p. 1]. The array of definitions points to a broad spectrum of AI applications, which Russell and Norvig capture when they note that the term AI “encompasses a huge variety of subfields” [5, p. 1].
Types of AI
Thacker notes that “AI can be divided into two categories: narrow and general”. “Narrow AI” is sometimes used synonymously for “weak AI” [1, p. 38]. Frankish and William define “weak AI” as computers that are useful in testing “hypotheses about minds but would not actually be minds” [2, p. 342].
Susskind and Susskind note that “weak AI” “is a term applied to systems that appear, behaviourally, to engage in intelligent human-like thought but in fact enjoy no form of consciousness” [6, p. 274]. Kurzweil offers an uncomplicated definition for “narrow AI” when he describes it as “Artificial intelligence that performs a useful and specific function that once required human intelligence to perform” [7, p. 264]. Interpreting the terms “narrow AI” and “weak AI” through the lens of Kurzweil’s definition offers sufficient clarity, especially when viewed through real-world examples, i.e. A Roomba vacuum cleaner, Siri, self-driving cars, playing chess and diagnosing diseases.
Thacker defines the second category of AI, i.e., “general AI” as “human-level intelligence with a broader application” [1, p. 38]. Another term with widespread use in the world of AI is AGI which stands for Artificial General Intelligence and is used “when AI is applied to problems in many different domains, as human intelligence can” [2, p. 338]. The terms “general AI” and AGI are used synonymously. The information technology industry also uses the term “strong AI” interchangeably with “general AI”. Frankish and William define “strong AI” as computers that are capable of becoming “a mind” [2, p. 341]. Nilsson defines it as a “variety that attempts to mechanise human-level intelligence” [8, p. 391]. Rees connects the terms “general AI”, “strong AI” and “artificial general intelligence” when he notes that these three terms “are interchangeable” [9, p. 61]. Rees also disentangles the definition of “general AI”, “strong AI” and “artificial general intelligence” by offering a helpful definition: “Intelligence that is at least as smart as you and me. You can ask it to do anything, including a task that it has never been programmed to do, and it would figure out how to perform such a task” [10, p. 159]. There are no real-world examples for AGI because as Reese notes “AGI does not currently exist, nor is there agreement on how to build it – or even if it is possible” [9, p. 61].
The Steady March of AI?
The next century will be here before the next decade
Indick makes an astounding observation by noting that while it took millions-plus years to get from mimetic gestures and animalistic grunts to the printed word, in just over 75 years, we have progressed from the printed word to the digitally transmitted word [11, p. 215]. The steady march of AI technology over the past few decades appears to conform to the pattern that Indick presents. AI has steadily evolved over the past five decades and has now come of age and is at a maturity stage.
The Vortex of AI
AI’s omnipresence has become unremarkable, like air
Scientists, notable luminaries and stalwarts of technology have for decades anticipated and prepared for AI’s ascendancy. Several prominent voices in the industry have drawn attention to the ascendance of AI. Hawking notes that “there is now broad consensus that AI research is progressing steadily and that its impact on society is likely to increase” [12, p. 185]. Byron claims that technologies such as AI will end ignorance, disease, poverty, hunger, and war [9, p. 6]. Artificial intelligence is becoming a facet of human life – a technology that poses complex and enduring questions for all humanity. Kelly accentuates the ascendence of AI when he states that “it is hard to imagine anything that would change everything as much as cheap, powerful, ubiquitous artificial intelligence” [13, p. 29]. Ray Kurzweil warns – “If all the AI systems decided to go on strike tomorrow, our civilization would be crippled: We couldn’t get money from our bank, and indeed, our money would disappear; communication, transportation, and manufacturing would all grind to a halt” [14, p. 148].
AI is embedded in many facets of contemporary life – hearing aids, route-finders, recommender systems, medical decision support, robotic pets, cleaning robots, millions of industrial robots, personal digital assistants and many more . AI is everywhere, even if we don’t recognize it [1, p. 16]. AI presents a vortex that humanity cannot afford to blindly dive into or unwillingly be drawn into.
Treading Carefully
AI revolution is the most profound transformation that human civilisation will experience
The steady march of artificial intelligence (AI) has drawn the attention of prominent voices like those of Elon Musk, Grady Booch and Stephen Hawking. They have raised voices of concern against AI in crescendo, warning against the potential pitfalls of AI. In an open letter, these men pertinently state that “because of the great potential of AI, it is important to research how to reap its benefits while avoiding potential pitfalls” [16]. As AI entrenches itself in the secular world and culture, it behoves humanity to deeply introspect and debate the intersections between AI and human life to ensure that the right moorings and adequate guard-rails are in place to understand if and in which domains we can engage with AI beneficially while equally reigning in on any ill-effects of AI.
References
[1] J. Thacker, The age of AI: artificial intelligence and the future of humanity. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Thrive, 2020.
[2] K. Frankish and W. M. Ramsey, The Cambridge handbook of artificial intelligence. 2014. Accessed: Jun. 03, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139046855
[3] ‘AI at Google: our principles’, Google, Jun. 07, 2018. https://blog.google/technology/ai/ai-principles/ (accessed Oct. 28, 2022).
[4] M. A. Boden, Artificial intelligence: a very short introduction. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press, 2018.
[5] S. J. Russell and P. Norvig, Artificial intelligence: a modern approach, Fourth edition, Global edition. Harlow: Pearson, 2022.
[6] R. Susskind, The future of the professions: how technology will transform the work of human experts, updated edition, New product edition. New York, NY: Academic & Trade, 2019.
[7] R. Kurzweil, The singularity is near: when humans transcend biology, This impression 2018. London: Duckworth, 2018.
[8] N. J. Nilsson, The quest for artificial intelligence: a history of ideas and achievements. Cambridge ; New York: Cambridge University Press, 2010.
[9] B. Reese, Infinite progress: how the Internet and technology will end ignorance, disease, poverty, hunger, and war, 1st ed. Austin, Tex: Greenleaf Book Group, 2013.
[10] B. Reese, The fourth age: smart robots, conscious computers, and the future of humanity, First Atria books hardcover edition. New York: Atria Books, 2018.
[11] W. Indick, The digital God: how technology will reshape spirituality. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, 2015.
[12] S. W. Hawking, Brief answers to the big questions. London: John Murray, 2018.
[13] K. Kelly, The inevitable: understanding the 12 technological forces that will shape our future. New York, New York: Penguin Books, 2017.
[14] R. Kurzweil, How to create a mind: the secret of human thought revealed. New York, NY: Penguin Books, 2013.
[15] N. Bostrom, Superintelligence: paths, dangers, strategies. Oxford, United Kingdom ; New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2016.
[16] ‘Research Priorities for Robust and Beneficial Artificial Intelligence: An Open Letter’, Future of Life Institute. https://futureoflife.org/open-letter/ai-open-letter/ (accessed Oct. 28, 2022).
