Liveing in The Age of AI. Are we ready?

 

Growing up and thinking about the future, most people probably envisioned flying cars, robot aids, houses in space, and cure all medicines that could cure any disease from the common cold all the way to things like cancer. Or at least that what I thought of whenever the idea of the future came into question. However, in our current times the idea or artificial aids is not as far away as we once though it to be. However back then this idea was looked at through the innocent eyes of a child. Someone that couldn’t possibly understand the pros and cons of such a development. However now we can face a situation where not even a child’s innocence and Naivety could hide them from the possible threats that could come in the near future.

 

               The idea of AI has always been up for debate. Whether you are a believer of a future where people depend on the use of these AI, or someone that takes the warnings from films such as Terminator or Jurassic Park/World. That sometimes just because we can doesn’t mean we should. We live with AI right now in a lot of ways that we don’t even know. For example, the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Google had sold user data that they had collected of over a million of its users and sold it to a British company called Cambridge Analytica. Now while it could be said that AI isn’t to blame for this but human greed was, it cannot be ignored that AI has advanced to such a state where it can look through our searches, purchases, followers/followings and create profiles of us, that companies can use for marketing. This can be considered not only a huge violation of our privacies but also another means for Identity theft to occur. Especially when companies are selling such personal information. We already live in a world where with just a little bit of personal information anyone could find your home address, the names of your family, the schools you went to, even your frequently visited places.

               Now some people and some companies may argue that this data collection is a necessary means in order for them to advance their AI products to better adapt to the needs/lifestyle of its users. For example, I use my phone to set alarms for important meetings/ due dates. However, my phone is set to only need to use said alarms once. And it will even ask me if I need the same alarm to be played once or if it should be on repeat. Now this may seem like nothing, but the implications that can have when applied to other things. Such as making a doctor’s appointment. Now the AI in my phone is aware that I have an appointment with Dr. Fake Person at noon on the 11th next month. Then once a year passes and if I haven’t gotten rid of that alarm my phone may bring it up asking if it should set the alarm for another appointment because its aware that it’s approaching that same time as last year.

               However, I still want to hold out hope for a positive future between man and AI. One way it has proven to be an aid to us is I the form of electronic currency. Many young people now including many close family and friends are beginning to turn to using apps for their purchases. And now many of those apps are becoming more user friendly. Making it easier to manage your accounts from your phone. With the convenience of such technology, its easy to see how AI has integrated itself into our society. However, the real question that we need to address is where we draw the line.

               In the documentary In The Age of AI, it talks about not just how AI threatens our user data, but how it could also threaten our jobs. For example, Trucking companies are now looking into the investment of self-driving trucks. The advantage of such tech is believed to be that it would make the transportation safer because the AI be working in tandem with a person in the truck to watch and make sure it doesn’t make a mistake. But with the development of this technology, it could put thousands of people out of a job.

               At the end of the day, we are faced with a question, of weather we are willing to allow AI to get to a stage that it either replaces us and threatens our security, or it helps us elevate to a whole other level of progress. We need to take into consideration the long-term pros and cons of the implications of this technology. In the series called The Age of AI, it could be said that AI is the equivalent of a child. It can only become so advanced through its experiences. So, it’s not too far off to say that there may come a day when the person sitting next to you is an AI. Therefore, the real question is are we as a society ready to permanently let AI reach into every aspect of life. Or should there be a line in the sand that we shouldn’t even approach.

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