Science & Space

The AI Dilemma: Are We Masters Or Victims Of Our Technology?

The relationship between humans and Artificial Intelligence(AI) is very complex and multifaceted, and the question of whether we are controlling AI or AI is controlling us is a subject of ongoing contention. 

History Behind The AI and Its Evolution:  

There is a history of appearing Artificial intelligence in human life: Less than a decade after assisting the Allies in winning World War II by deciphering the Nazi encryption machine Enigma, mathematician Alan Turing changed history yet again with a simple question: "Can machines think?"
Turing's 1950 paper "Computing Machinery and Intelligence" and the Turing Test that followed established the fundamental goal and vision of AI. The movie "The Imitation Game" depicted Turning's goal of achieving the goal of the AI concept. Turing also instilled in modern human society the concept of advanced computer systems. 
A Turing Machine consists of:
  • A tape, divided into squares each of which contains one of two possible symbols (for example 1 and 0). The tape moves through the machine one square at a time in either direction.
  • A device that can read and write symbols on the tape.
  • A simple table of rules that governs the behavior of the machine. Each rule instructs the machine which symbol to write to the tape and the direction in which it should then move.
  • A record of the current condition or "state" of the machine.

    Turing defined a table of instructions in his paper that allowed a Turing machine to emulate any other Turning machine. This type of Turing machine was known as a Universal Machine.
Following Turning's concept, the world of computer science went through several layers of evolution and revolution; as a result, computer science has confined the space for human discovery and allowed itself to occupy a higher position in society by manipulating human emotions and a variety of other variables. However, some argue that the computer is not controlling humans using powerful AI and that humans are still defining what computers should and should not do. We will investigate both possibilities to determine who controls whom. 

Are Humans Controlling AI?  

This is the one perspective that should be examined in detail because if humans are not controlling AI then who is controlling them? Let's assume that humans are in control of AI because humans are responsible for writing the algorithms and designing the system that makes up the technology. Humans are also defining what task AI should perform, how it should perform them, and what data it should be trained on. This means that humans have the ability to shape AI's capabilities and limitations to reflect our values and goals. 

In today's age, almost all or most AI tools are being developed and handled by private organizations. These organizations are also performing research and development to make these tools more efficient and reliable. However, as the effect and reliability of AI grow on human society, there is an increasing call for government regulation to ensure that these technologies are developed and deployed in a responsible and ethical manner. 
Here comes the next perspective and genuine concern that 

Is AI gaining control of us/human society? 

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more sophisticated and integrated into our daily lives, it has the potential to exert a greater influence on our behavior and decision-making. Even if we are behind the development of AI, once these systems are deployed they can use its way that we can't intend or anticipate. For example, different algorithms are being used by organizations to artificially manipulate human emotions based on AI data that are being generated by AI itself. Another example is the machine learning model that is trained to diagnose different kinds of diseases and could be used to discriminate against certain groups of people if the data used to train it is biased; there is a movie based on this concept: "Elysium". In these cases, the AI system is not directly controlled by its creators, and its actions are dictated by the data and algorithms on which it has been trained. 

Furthermore, as artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into our daily lives, it has the potential to shape and influence our behaviors, decision-making, and, ultimately, our autonomy. AI can control us in a subtle way by manipulating our emotions and biasing our decision-making. The best example of the manipulative nature of AI is "Persuasive technology", today all social media companies are using this technology to control human behavior and emotions to increase penetration in their respective social media platforms. Moreover, this technology is being used in digital marketing to increase the sales of different products. 

Another way, AI can also control us by automating certain tasks and decision-making processes. This can result in job and skill loss, as well as a loss of autonomy and control over certain aspects of our lives. It also poses a problem for certain groups, such as older workers or those in low-skilled jobs, who are less likely to be able to adapt to the new situation.

It is critical that we maintain an open and thoughtful dialogue about the ethical and societal implications of AI, as well as take proactive steps to ensure that the technology is developed and used in ways that are consistent with our values and serve the greater good.

If AI starts controlling our/human lives then it will lead to disaster. And a question arises from it that ---

What AI could do if they run our/human lives?  

1. AI terrorism will emerge as a new concept as a result of this. A devious program will bridge the gap between AI itself and the information source and then it will work as a substitute for human action, transitioning from "inform" to a more dangerous "do" outcome. Cyber AI terrorists will undoubtedly learn to leverage this trick. 

2. Assume someone instructs an AI-powered technology to eradicate cancer from a human being. Instead of eradicating cancer from a specific human being, it may cause mass extinction because every human has cancerous cells in their body, even if those cells are not carcinogenic. So, If AI operates without checks and balances it will eliminate the entire human race and it will next rule the world the way it would think fit. 

3. There are several AI tools that are being used to do tasks that humans should do on their own to make themselves efficient and reliable in that profession. The most recent example is "chatGPT". It is a large language AI model that is being used to write things that people should write. People should learn how to write things; machines should not be instructed to write them. When people instruct AI to write for them, the human loses emotional touch with the topic because AI generates content without using emotional touch with the subject; it simply collects samples from the internet. 

In conclusion, the question of whether we are controlling AI or AI is controlling us is a complex one that depends on a number of different factors. It is clear that the people and organizations that have the resources and expertise to develop AI currently have the most control over its direction and development. However, as AI becomes more prevalent and its impact on society grows, there is an increasing need for government regulation and oversight to ensure that these technologies are developed and deployed in a responsible and ethical manner. Additionally, it is important to be aware of the ways in which AI can shape and influence our behaviors, decision-making, and ultimately our autonomy, and work to mitigate any negative impacts. 

The experts are anxiously expressing all its negative impacts on society based on their research on AI. Dr. Roman Yampolskiy, a tenured professor of computer science at the University of Louisville and Director of the Cyber Security Lab, believes that it is only a matter of time before AI takes over. All attempts to "box it in" or implement other mitigating strategies will only buy us time until we have to face the inevitable. 

A similar conclusion was reached in a recent study published in the Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research on the possibility of catastrophic outcomes from superintelligent, AI-enabled technology. According to the authors, it would be impossible to contain or restrain these increasingly intelligent AI processes because it would go against the very nature of supercomputing. 
As a result, we humans must proceed with caution and refrain from manipulating our emotions and behaviors in order to increase product sales and penetration into society. If we do not exercise control over our actions today, it will be too late to intervene against the inevitable. We also took very clandestine steps during our innovation of nuclear technology and you can clearly see the effect of this, some unruly countries have nuclear technology that they don't deserve. It is time to exercise caution and draw a line in the sand when it comes to the use of this technology.