Do you know what is happening on November 8th this year? If I
tell you that this date will change the face of the world whether it is for better
or for worse, does it help? Yes, I’m referring to the American election of the
45th president of the United States.
In this crucial period, I would like to talk about an interview that
President Obama gave to Wired magazine editor in chief Scott Dadich and MIT
Media Lab director Joi Ito about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its potential
risk on affecting national security but also on how it will affect society and
how governments will have to adapt to this new actor.
A thing is sure: The next president of the United States of America will
face numerous challenges regarding AI !!!
One of the most interesting pieces of information coming from this
interview is that, in contrast with what a high percentage of the population
think, Artificial Intelligence is not likely to take over human beings soon. In
other words, a Hollywood movie scenario as “I Robot”, an example among
many, isn’t likely to take place today or even in a near future. That kind of
scenario is what Obama and people comfortable with AI call: “Generalized AI”.
However, what is happening right now, which is more frightening, is what
we call: “specialized AI”, which can be summarized vulgarly by how human beings
can develop and create sophisticated algorithms in order to solve extremely
complex problems. It is more or less an “extension of our intelligence”.
Of course it has many positive points. To name a few, It could/ can cure
diseases, it can reduce at its maximum human errors, it can also (if you remember one of our previous articles) drive cars and much more.
But on the other hand, behind all those amazing facts and possibilities
that it offers, there is also a dark side of the “specialized Artificial
Intelligence”.
First of all, one very simple question: Do we really want everything and
everybody to be perfect? Is this the representation we have of a perfect world?
A world without diseases? Without robbers? I can keep going because the list
goes on and everybody will admit that it is a very difficult question. However,
we have to think about it because it will need an answer in a near future.
But for now, lets talk about the main challenges that we are facing. First,
it is important to understand that for the moment what is dangerous is not
Artificial Intelligence but actors that are behind it, the ones who create algorithms
and decide to use them with more or less good intentions. One of the
examples that President Obama gives is: If you have a computer that can play “Go”,
a very complicated game, what could happen if somebody develops an algorithm
that is able to maximize profit on financial markets and consequently takes
financial markets down? Or, going further: What would happen if an algorithm were created with
the intention of penetrating the nuclear system and launch missiles? There are so many other examples that governments have to think about, but one
thing is sure, they will have to think a step ahead to ensure our security.
This point leads us to another challenge that governments are facing: Where is the
border between security and intrusion and where is the border between defense
and offense.
« Figuring out how we regulate connectivity
on the Internet in a way that is accountable, transparent, and safe, that
allows us to get at the bad guys but ensures that the government does not
possess so much power in all of our lives that it becomes a tool for oppression-We’re
still working on that »
President Barack Obama
Indeed, on one hand the
governments have to anticipate potential attacks, intrusion and in order
to do that they have to catch and analyze external information. But on the
other hand, by doing that, they intrude on people’s privacy. So what is the
best way to reduce risk at its maximum without encroaching on our private life
and becoming the “Big Brother is watching you” that everybody fears.
So many questions are yet to be answered on this topic full of
uncertainties but this would be my main advice: educate yourself on one of
today’s major problematic which is Artificial Intelligence and watching the full interview (find clip below) between President Obama, Scott Dadich and Joi Ito is a good
start in doing so.
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