Artificial Intelligence to Wipe out Humanity Possibly

Many people believe that artificial intelligence will be the end of Humanity, but experts say this is not the case. Most people in the globe now have some form of AI-enabled technology that they utilise in their daily life. They ask Alexa to switch off their smart lights or use Siri to check the weather — these are all examples of AI that many people are unaware of. Despite the extensive (and mostly safe) application of this technology in practically every aspect of our existence, some people still think that machines will one day wipe Humanity out.

Over the years, different writings and films have reinforced this apocalyptic vision. Even well-known scientists such as Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk have spoken out against technology’s threat to Humanity. In a 2020 interview with the New York Times, Musk predicted that AI would become substantially smarter than humans by 2025, and that things would become “unstable or bizarre.” Despite Musk’s prognosis, most experts in the field believe Humanity has nothing to fear from AI — at least for the time being.

The worry of AI taking over stems from the possibility that machines will develop consciousness and turn on their creators. In order for AI to achieve this, it would need to not only have human-like intellect, but also the ability to forecast the future and prepare ahead. AI is currently incapable of accomplishing either.

The truth is that robots generally do what they’re designed to do, and we’re still a long way from generating the ASI (artificial superintelligence) required for this “takeover” to be possible. Most AI technology used by machines today is considered “narrow” or “weak,” which means it can only apply its understanding to one or a few tasks.