Artificial Intelligence or AI is now one of the hottest discussed technologies in our era, as well as i will say the most misunderstood one.
One day, the news includes information how AI is a breakthrough that will help to solve the largest issues of humanity. On another it is talked about as a menace that will deprive people of jobs, grain them privacy as well as push human beings into an uncontrollable situation. In between such extremities is a better question to ask: are we really afraid of artificial intelligence or should we be better aware of the way it is being created and how we are using them.
History is an indicator that fear is usually a companion of technology change. In the industrial revolution, machines were regarded as the foe to the human labour. With the introduction of computers, the same fears of automation and joblessness were experienced. The internet, which has become an inseparable part of people's lives, was feared to be dangerous. In the course of time, however, the societies adapted to the changes. New regulations, new abilities and new possibilities were observed, pursued. The next stage in this pattern of change seems to be artificial intelligence. Artificial Intelligence or AI is an instrument at its very core. It lacks consciousness, emotions and purposes on its own. The current AI systems operate under human-imposed constraints: the information they learn, the codes they will operate by, and the tasks they are assigned. They are able to identify patterns, forecast and guide decision making, but they do not think as the human beings do. Most of the fears surrounding AI are due to the fact that people handle it as though it is capable of thoughts independent of the fact that it is merely a controlled technology that is created to perform certain functions.
The fears of employments are also one of the most widespread issues. This is correct since AI can be used to automate some of the tasks primarily those that are either repetitive or rule-based. It is not surprising therefore that employees in most industries remain insecure. Nonetheless, history has shown that technological advancement transforms work much more than it kills it. Although some jobs might disappear, new types of jobs come in, and in many cases, require disparate skills and increased human judgment. This is not about the actual threat of AI, but the fact that we failed to assist the people in adapting to it by educating and retraining them. Control and transparency is another issue. AI systems may be complex, and one cannot always understand the way they make some decisions. This automatically brings up the issues of trust and responsibility. Nevertheless, such issues do not justify the rejection of AI. Rather, they emphasize that one should be more careful about designing systems, having human oversight, clearer explanations, and frequent checks.
Moral issues should also be given a serious consideration. Such issues as discriminatory systems, over surveillance, misinformation are a reality and should not be neglected. However, these problems are not encountered due to the self-directed actions of AI. They are products of human preferences such as the manner in which systems are constructed, what information they contain and their effectiveness in monitoring. In the case of biased data, the results are biased. In case of a weak oversight, there is increased likelihood of misuse. It is not to be afraid of the technology but to reinforce morality, regulation and steward leadership.
Meanwhile there are many already existing benefits of AI. It is used in the medical field to facilitate the detection of diseases at an early stage, as well as analysis of medical imaging. These advantages do not just apply to global tech centres, it is already being realized nearer to home. More recently, an AI tool developed by Nepal was reported to identify several illnesses that arose in the chest in a single X-ray. These examples demonstrate how AI can assist the doctor in making an early diagnosis and making it more accurate, particularly in environments where medical supplies are of low quality. Instead of substituting healthcare professionals, such tools will help them make superior and quicker decisions, which eventually leads to better patient care. There are also similar AI-assisted diagnostic devices being applied internationally to aid radiologists to identify cancers, heart-related conditions and neurological conditions at a younger and more precise stage. It is used to detect fraud and risk management not only in health but also in the financial sector. It enhances the effectiveness and safety in transportation. With massive digital systems, failure is predicted before occurrence thus minimizing disruptions that interrupt millions of users. They are real life, be it useful examples of AI that makes systems that people depend on stronger.
In a broader economic and social perspective, AI has been integrated in the daily digital systems. Banking, healthcare, communications and government services are now dependent on large and complicated software platforms. These systems are expanding and becoming interdependent such that it is no longer feasible to control all of them manually. AI is used to maintain the smooth operation of these systems. It does not necessarily replace people, but tends to reinforce them, leaving the professionals to decisions which require human judgment and responsibility.
This does not imply that we should no longer be careful. As a matter of fact, close monitoring is particularly essential when artificial intelligence is applied in sensitive or highly impactful disciplines. Human judgment cannot be taken off the hook especially when making decisions that impact on people in terms of rights, safety and livelihoods of the people. Ethical design, transparency and accountability should be considered as a few of the basic requirements, not as the extras. The other issue is the role of education in the response of societies to AI. Fear usually develops whereby individuals have no clear understanding of the functionality of the technology. Once the understanding of the capabilities and inabilities of AI is clear, discussions can be more realistic and fairer. The way to make people and institutions interact with AI in a more responsible and confident manner is to invest in digital capabilities, basic technical education, and open community discourse.
Instead of posing the question whether AI will take over people or not, it is more useful to pose the question how people and AI can collaborate. It is not likely that machines will dominate the future by doing things on their own. Rather, it will be influenced by the systems in which human knowledge and AI will complement one another. It is the countries and organizations who prepare in this future rather than fear it, which will be in a much better position to benefit. Artificial intelligence is not a magic panacea to the issues or inevitable threat. It represents the decisions that individuals make their values, priorities and rules. Sensational stories could be noticed, yet they do not contribute much to the policy or make any significant change. The only solution is to remain moderate with the understanding of the dangers, yet free to reasonable development.
Eventually, there is nothing to be afraid of in AI. It is something to know, lead and manage intelligently. The issue is not whether artificial intelligence will eradicate the future that it has already created. The question is whether we will eradicate its future in a way that will benefit the entire society.
Baral is Software Engineer , Independent Researcher and Technology Writer