Exactly what are the benefits versus the potential negatives of Artificial Intelligence?
Let’s face it, AI is still in its infancy in the technological world. Roles and activities that previously only humans could occupy and complete, are now being done by machines who have the ability to think and process at a much greater and more efficient speed.
So while we are keen to see AI build a better society, we need to ask ourselves what is the potential for harm?
Airing on the ABC in Australia on June 15, ‘In the Age of AI: The Four Corners’, will outline the benefits and potential negatives of artificial intelligence and why it will nonetheless play a role in defining the 21st century.
“AI is a technology that can be used for good and for evil…That I think is also a tricky issue for every country,”
Former Head of Google China.
China has established itself as one of the up and coming AI superpowers. Its goal is to overtake the US and become the forefront runners across the entirety of the field. What this could lead to is an all-out tech war between the two nations. A Technology specialist likens “Cold War” of our time.
“The more data, the better the AI works,” an AI scientist said, and in this context of a fight for AI supremacy, data is the all-precious “oil” and China is “Saudi Arabia”.
The program explores the potential risks of AI and how it can go from benefiting a society, to becoming a tool of authoritarian control. It could be one that rids a society of liberty as it is transformed into an Orwellian-like surveillance state.
“Private corporations have built a corporate surveillance state without our awareness or permission and the systems necessary to make it work are getting a lot better,”
said a Silicon Valley investor
‘In the Age of AI: The Four Corners’ airs on Monday, June 15 at 8:30pm. The program will also be replayed on Tuesday, June 16 at 1:00pm and Wednesday, June 17 at 11:20pm. Alternatively, it will be shown on ABC News channel on Saturday at 8:10pm (AEST), ABC iview and at abc.net.au/4corners.