Will artificial intelligence help the world or hurt it?
The following monograph was written in late 2021 and discusses the potential ethical threats of artificial intelligence. Despite its age, it is still relevant today. The text has been further revised and edited for this blog post (June 2023).
“Will artificial intelligence help the world or hurt it?”
Abstract—the following text observes the potential ethical threats of artificial intelligence. It argues that the development of AI systems should be regulated by the government (or other authoritative bodies with sufficient domain knowledge) and that the public should be educated on the topic of AI and its potential threats. The text also discusses the potential benefits of AI and the possible ways of preventing the misuse of AI. The text is written in a formal, yet accessible, manner.
“The idea behind digital computers may be explained by saying that these machines are intended to carry out any operations which could be done by a human computer,”$^{1}$ Alan Turing, an American based computer scientist, expressed this thought-provoking statement in the early 1950’s. Whether we like it or not, the field of artificial intelligence (abbreviated as “AI”) has become a significant part of our daily lives and is far greater than we can envision. Any scientific discovery must unavoidably include both pros and cons. Having said that, advanced AI systems, without a doubt, enhance our lives with knowledge of high value, or, to put it simply, make our lives much easier. However, having chosen the wrong method, one could easily run into a lot of potentially serious problems. Thus, the question prevails: is AI helpful or inessential for us?
First and foremost, complex AI networks have contributed to extensive advancements in the health-care system, particularly in treatment of cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Guosheng Liang, a professor of molecular genetics, along with his team of dedicated researchers claim: “AI can manage the use of chemotherapy and predict one’s tolerance of such drugs, so as to optimize the chemotherapy regimen.”$^{2}$ Furthermore, it has been statistically proven that AI can assist doctors in making correct treatment decisions, reducing avoidable procedures, and improving cancer treatment planning. These are all just a few instances of AI initiatives being applied to medical screening and clinical methods. With that in mind, certain AI applications are expected to be distributed among qualified physicians in the foreseeable future to provide patients with continuous and accurate medical therapy.
Secondly, not just medical enhancements have been registered. The concept of machine learning (abbreviated as “ML”), as a critical component of artificial reasoning involving “teaching a computer human-like instructions,” is regarded to be more prominent than ever. Surprisingly, it can predict and efficiently compose graphical representations, notably graphs or infographics, based on in-depth analysis of current events. Such advancements have a significant impact on economics, pharmaceutics, and marketing, as specialized computer programs can evaluate product demand. “Businesses use ML to recognize patterns and make predictions: about what will appeal to customers, improve operations, or help make a product better.”$^{3}$ Google, Apple, and Amazon, to name a few, rely heavily on such implementations. However, the influence of these tech giants diminishes the need for small retailers (oftentimes with domestic products). As a result, ML could enable local markets to forecast their expenses and demands for a given period of time, allowing them to compete effectively with larger marketing agencies.
Thirdly, applied artificial thinking is frequently used to combat disinformation and defend intellectual properties. The more widely accessible the internet is, the more data is published and loaded on a daily basis. A study online proposes the following: “It is believed that over 2.5 quintillion bytes (2.5 e+9 GB) of the data is created every day, and this number is in increasing order.”$^{4}$ Consequently, the right to own a particular digital material is regularly overlooked. Optimized methods can instantaneously detect these sorts of violations. Notably, YouTube, the most popular video streaming network, employs such software which use specially designed algorithms to detect any type of copyright infringement and notify the perpetrator with justified penalties. On the whole, such jobs would be extremely monotonous and time-consuming to be performed manually by trained workers, and thereby competent programmable robots carry out such actions for us – humans.
On the other hand, given all the advantages, one should evaluate some of the potential drawbacks as well. It is commonly assumed that AI could threaten the need for physical labour, as a large portion of it is replaceable, resulting in a higher unemployment rate. Indeed, such assumptions are correct to some extent, albeit it does not always have to be this way. We, the public, should not be concerned about any hypothetical scenarios or conspiracy theories provided that this field of research is maintained by responsible authorities who retain a clear awareness of the possible dangers. Nevertheless, humans tend to pass judgement on a particular finding without willing to invest a second of their lives in the necessary research, and I firmly believe that this unfortunate phenomenon likewise applies to artificial intelligence.
All in all, based on the arguments presented, it is reasonable to conclude that, while AI might have some minor flaws, it provides valuable knowledge in virtually every aspect of life. Enormous progress is expected in the near future, indicating that this field of science is not going to decline anytime soon. Still, while dealing with such ‘powerful tools’, our society should remain thoughtful, and no proposals should be made too hastily without adequate justifications.
References
$\text{[1]}$. Computing Machinery and Intelligence – Alan Turing, 1950
$\text{[2]}$. The emerging roles of artificial intelligence in cancer and drug development and precision therapy - Guosheng Liang, 2020
$\text{[3]}$. Harvard Business Review (HBR), https://hbr.org/2020/09/how-to-win-with-machine-learning
$\text{[4]}$. Takeo, https://www.takeo.ai/can-you-guess-how-much-data-is-generated-every-day/
More similar articles can be found on my blog or via a curated repository with the focus on academic writing (here).