Artificial Intelligence (AI for short) continues to develop and impact the lives of many human beings on this planet. AI services like ChatGPT make writing easier and more efficient for many who need to save time. AI can also help with analysis in just about any field. However, the real question is whether AI’s benefits outweigh its consequences. Will there be a time when AI surpasses human capabilities?
To start, AI has many benefits but also comes with some risks. Due to its continuous development, AI is now interacting with humans much more than it used to. For example, self-driving cars are an example of AI. In 2018, a self-driving Uber struck and killed a pedestrian crossing the road. This reliance on AI could become dangerous one day. Similar to AI predictions. Just single-handedly relying on AI predictions/analysis could lead to misleading conclusions. AI maintenance checks without another form of safety checks can lead to malfunctioning technology. Models analyzed by AI in healthcare may also lead to misdiagnosis without second judgment. AI may also cause unhealthy financial decisions when consulted, biases built into certain AI programs can cause unfair rejections or acceptances in a wide variety of programs. AI may also pose concerns to a person’s digital safety with the possibility of defamation or libel. Some automated/repetitive jobs are being replaced by AI or even robots. Websites offering services might even already have an AI system to answer questions or help clients troubleshoot. More repetitive tasks being replaced by AI means companies may need fewer jobs to fill. AI may also work more efficiently than humans at some points in these fields. This now brings us to one of the most popular hypothetical theories of AI. Does AI have a chance of surpassing human capabilities? A point where it is no longer controllable. There is already an AI system known as AGI (artificial general intelligence) which has the capabilities to learn and execute much like the human species. Despite this, it is too early to determine whether or not AI will eventually become a serious threat to humankind.
In contrast, AI also has many benefits that help with everyday activities. To start, AI has been known to effectively do some tasks in significantly shorter times than a human would. This is shown through AI platforms like ChatGPT where the AI program can write entire essays in mere seconds. Writing isn’t the only thing AI is capable of speeding up. Many repetitive tasks such as data entry/processing can be done efficiently and effectively. For example, processing large amounts of data can be tedious for the average person. AI might have all the data processed and tabled in minutes. AI’s ability to handle large amounts of data and still effectively process it means that humans have to do less work. Of course, relying solely on this one method can lead to some issues that were talked about earlier. But the concept of saving time, especially with tiresome tasks appeals to most people. This is one of the reasons AI is becoming such a big part of society. In the medical field, AI is starting to play a big part in saving lives. To diagnose a disease, doctors historically analyze medical images. Now with AI models, doctors can use them to diagnose patients with certain diseases such as leukemia and ALS. Doctors can also use AI to analyze patient data, identify potential health risks, and create personalized treatment plans. Not only has AI helped in the more advanced fields of society but it continues to affect everyday life. AI-based assistants like Alexa or Siri can save some time when trying to figure out everyday things like forecasts. These assistants continue to enhance many people’s lifestyles, rather than needing to open a web browser or app a simple “Hey Siri” or “Hey Alexa” can give them the information, once again saving time.
AI continues to mold into society, and while there is no definite line on whether AI is helpful or harmful, it will most likely persist in development. Personal opinion plays a big part in whether you choose to accept of reject AI in your life.