Artificial intelligence has undeniably benefited society and industry in numerous ways. AI has enormously benefited society in various ways, including facilitating online shopping and answering consumer inquiries, increasing productivity and customer service, diagnosing and treating sickness, and monitoring the spread of COVID-19. But there are some significant downsides to AI as well. Since AI is reliant on the people who construct and teach it, it might take on the prejudices of those who program it. There are potential drawbacks to AI’s rising prominence that the typical person would not immediately see. It’s crucial for governments, corporations, and the general public to understand the potential consequences of using AI without appropriate human supervision, despite the fact that AI can be put to many good uses. Artificial intelligence may prove to be beneficial or detrimental because it can reinforce bias and exclusion, failure of human imagination, optimism, energy, and creativity is in danger, and emerging technologies have had a positive impact.
The risk does not come from new technology. The threat is a collective lack of human imagination, hope, vitality, and innovation. Allenby argues that the majority of developers working on new technologies are finding that they lack the ability to exercise control over the products they have really created because of these new technologies. A recent open letter proposing a prohibition on “offensive autonomous weapons beyond meaningful human control” was published by the future of life institute (Allenby 29). The letter was signed by a number of prominent individuals in the fields of science and research. There are several levels of technology, and each level might have an impact on a particular individual depending on its use for instance, a bomb might be used to save the level of soldiers (Allenby 30). Despite most of the time people being in a position to control these innovations, there are some instances that people fail to control according to some conducted researches. Being able to control some of the important emerging technologies and at the same time lacking full control on others proves that technology is emerging towards the advantageous side of humanity but lack of human imagination, hope, vitality, and innovation is in danger.
Emerging technologies today are different not just in degree, but in kind, from those of the past. Allenby argues that, the extent, rate, and depth of technological development are all new highs. Today’s technical progress is taking place throughout the whole technological frontier, as opposed to the more limited scope of prior waves of change, which focused on a small number of key technologies like railways or electricity (Allenby 32). We currently live on a terraformed planet, the first globe we are aware of that has been modified by the purposeful actions of a single species, in part as a consequence of such technology having ripple effects throughout a population of seven billion people. Even if it’s not a break in continuity, the change is qualitatively different (Allenby 33). The human body is becoming a blank canvas for designers. People have always found ways to alter themselves, whether through drugs, surgery, or schooling. However, recent advances in neuroscience, genetics, molecular biology, and prosthetics have opened the door to the possibility that virtually every aspect of the human, including the cognitive and psychological domains, could one day be designed (Allenby 37). This points to the fact that new technology benefit humanity.
Even when it is used in the most intended ways, artificial intelligence can actually reinforce bias and exclusion. The priorities and biases, both conscious and unconscious, of those who create artificial intelligence systems influence such systems. Buolamwini argues that studies have demonstrated that automated systems used to decide on punishment yield outcomes that are biased against persons of color and that those used to choose the targets of internet advertising may engage in racial and gender discrimination. Legislators, activists, and engineers working for the public good should have the backing of regular people in their calls for openness, justice, and accountability in the use of the artificial intelligence that runs our lives (Buolamwini). Although facial recognition is becoming more prevalent in our daily lives, there is still time to stop it from exacerbating social inequality.
Companies utilizing HireVue should audit their systems to ensure that prejudices that influenced earlier recruiting choices are not being amplified, given how vulnerable face analysis technology seems to be to replicating gender and racial bias. According to Essex, AI is often presented as a remedy for prejudice and discrimination in the workplace. However, there is increasing awareness that AI itself may be prejudiced, placing businesses that rely on algorithms to guide employment choices at danger of legal trouble. It’s not only the employment process that might be harmed by biased face analysis technologies (Essex). Over 117 million Americans, or over half of the adult population, have their faces stored in facial recognition database networks that law enforcement agencies may access without a warrant, according to the Georgetown Law Center on Privacy and Technology.
In conclusion, due to its potential to promote prejudice and discrimination, the failure of human imagination, optimism, enthusiasm, and creativity, as well as the positive effects of developing technology, artificial intelligence may either prove to be helpful or harmful. The threat is not posed by modern technological advancements. The loss of collective creativity, optimism, vigor, and invention among humans is the source of the danger. In addition, the new technologies that are being developed now are distinct from those of the past not just in degree but also in type. There is some truth to Hollywood movies, despite their tendency to exaggerate for dramatic effect, such as The Terminator, in which killer robots from SKYNET become sentient and begin slaughtering people. AI is portrayed as a miraculous discovery, the intelligent computer that can outperform humans in analytical tasks like simulations and forecasts. In popular media, AI is often portrayed as a friend or companion to humans, whether it as a helpful companion on a space voyage or a passionate lover.
Works Cited
Allenby, Brad. “Emerging technologies and the future of humanity.” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, vol. 71, no. 6, 2015, pp. 29-38.
Buolamwini, Joy. “Nytimes.com.” The New York Times – Breaking News, US News, World News and Videos, 21 June 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/06/21/opinion/facial-analysis-technology-bias.html.
Essex, David. “Why Algorithmic Auditing Can’t Fully Cope with AI Bias in Hiring.” SearchHRSoftware, www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/feature/Why-algorithmic-auditing-cant-fully-cope-with-AI-bias-in-hiring.
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