From your favorite clothing store to the hotels you stay at, everything in this day and age has an element of Artificial Intelligence or AI. The textbook defines AI as a wide-ranging branch of computer science concerned with building smart machines capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. In short, it is a branch of computer science having to do with building smart machines that can perform tasks that usually require an element of human intelligence. So how can something found to simplify our lives, complicate it in the worst ways possible?
Good-bye Encryption, Hello Virus
Artificial Intelligence plays the role of humans and increases the speed of what can be accomplished, sometimes at a pace that humans cannot even comprehend. While this may be extremely helpful in some applications, it also allows nefarious acts such as phishing- the delivery of viruses to software- and taking advantage of AI systems would be difficult for humans to uncover until it is too late.
Invading the Job Market
While many jobs will be created by artificial intelligence there will also be jobs that machines will take over. For example, a restaurant in China is using only robots to act as waiters to take orders and serve food. While this may seem like a major accomplishment, it resulted in a loss of jobs at that restaurant. This will require changes to programs to prepare our economy as well as helping current workers transition to new positions that will require the unique human capabilities and characteristics they possess.
Money Down the Drain
Any machine needs repair and upgrades. But robots take a lot of money to build, repair, and improve. The need for humans to fix robotic repairs escalates the cost even further. For example, an application-specific robot costs anywhere from $100,000 to $150,000. That’s enough to purchase a luxury car! So the main question is, “Will the amount of money spent be money well spent in the future, or will it amass to more?”
Keeping in mind the possibilities of accelerated hacking, the loss of many jobs, and the immense amounts of money going into these projects, the credibility of the use of Artificial Intelligence is compromised. So now it is up to you to decide.
Do the pros outweigh the cons?