Is artificial intelligence a threat to our existence?

| | March 21, 2018
This article or excerpt is included in the GLP’s daily curated selection of ideologically diverse news, opinion and analysis of biotechnology innovation.

I found myself seated among a group of physicists, astrologists, historians, philosophers, technologists, and futurists of various varieties and pedigrees. Given the august and diverse group, I decided to ask a provocative question.

In short, would artificial intelligence lead to the end of the human race?

I was stunned by two aspects of their response. First, no one at the table appeared taken aback, surprised, or flummoxed by the question. Second, they all answered immediately, and in unison, “yes.

One common fear among technologists is what could happen if Vladimir Putin or Kim Jong Il used software to shut off our power grid, decimating our food supply, heat, and logistical network.

[W]hat if an adversarial foreign government made the fake news that infected the 2016 cycle seem quaint by comparison. One day, after all, technology will possibly allow a hostile nation to create fake content that perfectly depicts, perhaps, a CNN or Fox News telecast (down to the anchors’ facial tics) instructing American citizens that a revolution is happening in the streets.

But, not everyone should sit there rocking back-and-forth stressing about a robot knocking down their front door. [Scientist Kevin] Kelly likened the threat level to that of an asteroid hitting earth: while it’s possible, and it could happen, it’s mathematically unlikely.

Read full, original post: “Should we be worried?”: Tech geniuses fret that A.I. is gonna kill us all – soonish

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