Artificial Intelligence Is Just Around The Corner
Artificial intelligence is something that attracts the attention of many bright minds around the world. Right now we do not know exactly how far they have come. Any steps forward are usually classified information, so we only get the news they want us to get. But some of their progress in this area is now public knowledge.
We know, for example, that they use artificial intelligence for many types of repetitive activities. Not so far from now, robots will replace humans in these jobs. It will only be the beginning of a coming revolution in which more and more sophisticated units will play the main role.
We are still not entirely sure how these changes will affect our culture. But what we do know is that just as new technology is changing our daily lives, new developments in artificial intelligence will also bring about major changes. It is much closer to happening than many think.
Artificial intelligence and looking to the future
Antonio Orbe is a psychologist and expert on the subject of artificial intelligence. He published a book called “Una mirada al futuro” (Looking to the future). What he is trying to do in this book describes what the world will be like in the short and medium term.
When we put aside his other thoughts, one thing he says for sure is that many jobs are going to disappear soon. The first consequence will be inequality. Some workers will be out of work. It will take political, economic and social means to deal with this new situation.
But Orbes has an optimistic view of the whole thing. He says it is worth thinking about a new world where everything does not focus on work. Instead, leisure and recreation may begin to play a larger role. If that happened then we would start doing things to improve everyone’s well-being through collaborative environments.
Humans compete with technology
Orbe also says that this can lead to competition between technology and humans. Much of the development of artificial intelligence will do the job that humans are doing now. But it would not only apply to the world of work, it would also apply to personal life.
He talks about how it would be difficult for people to adapt to new technology. It happens very quickly, which means we have to adapt permanently. This is something that actually happens successfully in many individual cases.
But adaptation is not so fast on a social level. Artificial intelligence moves forward like a rocket, while society moves forward at a bicycle speed. It can end up as a source of instability and some tension.
The future of artificial intelligence
Orbes does not think much about the fear (which comes partly from science fiction movies and partly from common sense) that robots will take control of everything. He says we are still far from “general” artificial intelligence. It’s the type that can take a problem you give it and solve it on your own.
What we have right now is particularly artificial intelligence. This type of intelligence can only do certain tasks. It makes them very good, but it can not go beyond them. Technological developments right now are focused on special artificial intelligence. Therefore, artificial intelligence is beginning to take place in many different jobs.
There is theoretically a great chance that artificial intelligence will become conscious. Basically, it means that a machine can be able to recreate all of a person’s intellectual abilities. But if we consider where we are now, we are still quite far from this happening.
Finally, he talks about one of the most interesting aspects of artificial intelligence. He says that it forces us to ask questions about what it really means to be a human being. If machines can do that, what can I do? What value or effect do my actions have in this context? What sets me apart from a machine? These are important questions, now more than ever…
