Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are far beyond reach nowadays, and they have positive side effects along with some criticism as well. We will dive into two sections of the essay, considering both sides. In this, we will see the positive side of AI, where it brings transformation to different sectors, and also look at the negative side of the rise of AI, where it can pose a threat.
Benefits of AI in Society
Efficiency and Automation
AI performs automaticity of recurring operations that, in turn, causes increased productivity and efficiency in different professional branches. Automation through AI in the manufacturing industry allows robots with accuracy and fastness to accomplish tasks in a manner that would have taken longer more time and would have been more costly than previously done manually (Au-Yong-Oliveira et al. 34). In the realm of customer service, AI-driven chatbots have the power to automate straightforward inquiries, so agents can focus their time on resolving customers’ needs and issues.
Improved Healthcare
AI can transform the medical field by improving diagnosis, patient care, and treatment. Machine learning algorithms can apply complex math to medical data such as clinical images, patient reports, etc., which enables them to identify patterns and make predictions. This leads to early diagnosis, personalized treatment designs, better care management, and optimized use of health resources (Briganti 27). Developing AI-assisted devices is also paramount because they aid in the prompt and real-time monitoring of patient health reports and minimize hospital readmissions.
Enhanced Personalization
AI algorithms that crunch through large quantities of data to determine users’ likes and dislikes and their behavior help to make personalized suggestions and experiences. This topic can be seen in internet e-shops, streaming services, and social media or through AI-based recommendations for goods, movies, and content tailored to individual preferences (Tai 340). We use personalized marketing strategies to segment customers according to demographic and behavioral data with higher involvement and conversion rates.
Advancements in Education
AI technologies are reshaping the educational sector by providing a unique education process and increasing accessibility. Adaptive platforms feature AI technology that delivers materials that match students’ mastering levels and adapting learning styles. This needs to be done better regarding students’ memory and understanding. Virtual tutors and ITSs provide even more assistance for students beyond the educational realm and add to what teaching in the classroom offers (Kamalov et al., 12451 ). Moreover, the advancement of machine learning in translation resources is helpful in the language learning process, bridging communication gaps across cultures and increasing access to education.
Dangers of AI in Society
Job Displacement
The potential of AI to automate jobs and cause massive unemployment serves as one of the most commonly expressed concerns about their disruptive consequences. Given that businesses increasingly rely on systems that use AI to accomplish activities that could be the lifework of humans, many people could lose their jobs, and jobs for others could become in great demand (Au-Yong-Oliveira et al. 34). Automation of jobs can become yet another factor threatening income equality and social stratification, especially in connection with the low skills workers who are very susceptible to the increased automation processes.
Bias and Discrimination
AI models can inherit bias during the training, which involves using the data, which can exhibit prejudice. This may result in luminal decisions in fields like hiring, banking, and justice systems that may be discriminatory, leaving pre-existing inequalities and marginalization of some groups. One of the examples is that facial recognition techniques, in some cases, revealed the bias in the line and gender groups like females that, as a result, lead to misidentification and wrongful arrests (Tai 342). The need to eliminate bias from AI intertwines with transparent data collection, diverse experts who develop algorithms, and the practice of ongoing monitoring and mitigation of deviations.
Privacy Concerns
Surveillance by AI-assisted surveillance tools gives rise to problems such as breaches of privacy and restrictions on human rights. These technologies, such as facial recognition, biometric identification, and predictive analytics, offer the best surveillance capabilities that involve monitoring individual’s activities and behaviors at the macro levels. This leads to the increased possibility of invasion of personal privacy, expression of freedom, and autonomy, particularly in authoritarian governments or societies with poor regulatory supervision circumstances (Manheim 106). While, on the one hand, safeguarding security is an incontrovertible necessity, it is also essential that privacy is not skewed in favor of surveillance and control.
Cybersecurity Threats
AI brings about many new opportunities and a new way to attack computer system criminals and army forces. Adversarial attacks, where AI systems may trap or outwit the main algorithms through slight alterations in the information, are an example of the security issue computer systems based on machine learning algorithms often face. Similarly, machine-driven attacks with AI capabilities, the level of sophistication, and a vast number of attacks need help to identify and tackle very hard for security personnel to deal with (Tai 342). Crypto infrastructure, sensitive data, and digital assets need strong cyber security measures to ensure AI-enabled threats are effectively countered; given the cross-sectorial nature of threats, stakeholders should work comprehensively.
In conclusion, AI, in general, has both pros and cons in its impact on society. On the one hand, artificial intelligence promises more efficiency, innovation, and quality of life in various sectors of the economy. On the other hand, there is a possibility of replacing jobs, discriminative attitudes, privacy violations, cybersecurity infringement, accountability, and existential issues. Achieving the goals of AI involves an interdisciplinary approach, ethical considerations, regulatory frames, and ongoing conversations to unfold AI’s storming influence over the world while eliminating its possible destructive effects on individuals, communities, and societies.
Work Cited
Tai, Michael Cheng-Tek. “The impact of artificial intelligence on human society and bioethics.” Tzu chi medical journal vol. 32,4 339-343. 14 Aug. 2020, doi:10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_71_20
Manheim, Karl, and Lyric Kaplan. “Artificial intelligence: Risks to privacy and democracy.” Yale JL & Tech. 21 (2019): 106. https://heinonline.org/hol-cgi-bin/get_pdf.cgi?handle=hein.journals/yjolt21§ion=4
Briganti, Giovanni, and Olivier Le Moine. “Artificial intelligence in medicine: today and tomorrow.” Frontiers in Medicine 7 (2020): 27. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2020.00027/full
Au-Yong-Oliveira, Manuel, et al. “The role of AI and automation on the future of jobs and the opportunity to change society.” New Knowledge in Information Systems and Technologies: Volume 3. Springer International Publishing, 2019. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16187-3_34
Kamalov, Firuz, David Santandreu Calonge, and Ikhlaas Gurrib. “New era of artificial intelligence in education: Towards a sustainable multifaceted revolution.” Sustainability 15.16 (2023): 12451. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/16/12451
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