What is AI?
Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions.The ideal characteristic of artificial intelligence is its ability to rationalize and take actions that have the best chance of achieving a specific goal. Today, AI is being used across different industries from finance to healthcare.
AI Concerns
Since its beginning, artificial intelligence has come under scrutiny from scientists and the public alike. One common theme is the idea that machines will become so highly developed that humans will not be able to keep up and they will take off on their own, redesigning themselves at an exponential rate.
Another is that machines can hack into people's privacy and even be weaponized.
Other arguments debate the ethics of artificial intelligence and whether intelligent systems such as robots should be treated with the same rights as humans.
Machine Learning
Learn more about an important subset of AI, machine learning from a computer scientist who will break it down into 5 levels.
Global Perception of AI
One of the most important parts of understanding what AI is, involves understanding how AI has been perceived in the past, present, and the future. It is very simple for us to analyze where AI has been, we know all about the high hopes for AI and the failures of AI that followed in the late twentieth century. It also is quite easy for us as a society to guess where AI can take us in the future. Are we going to use it as a teaching tool? What about helping fight crime? It is exciting to dream up new ways that AI can streamline our lives and maybe even help save lives. However, as we continue to reflect and dream, it is incredibly important for us to understand how AI is currently being used and what people think of it.
Today, understanding current opinions is easier than ever. At the touch of a screen or keypad we can find a plethora of academically accredited papers that investigate how AI is currently being used. They take the time to analyze its purpose, and evaluate if it is actually meeting the goals that have been set for AI.
Let's turn to Academia
Below we have a list of reviews by various professors, scientists, and distinguished individuals that dive into AI today. Reading through these papers and reviews will allow us to better understand how our world thinks of AI. Feel free to browse through the links to read a bit more about AI in today's world!
The role of artificial intelligence in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals
From the National Library of Medicine, this paper looks at how current scientists are aiming to use AI in achieving some of our sustainable development goals. The authors of this review understand that AI can certainly help accomplish some of the goals for sustainable development, but also recognize that it may inhibit some other goals.
From ethics washing to ethics bashing: a view on tech ethics from within moral philosophy
Here, Bietti describes in detail a unique view on ethics. In the paper, which was interestingly published right before the COVID19 pandemic. The author has quite a “pre-COVID” view on the use of technology and how incorporating it into society is a want, and maybe not a need. This piece is really cool and gives us a glimpse into opinions before our world was changed with COVID.
Toward children-centric AI: a case for a growth model in children-AI interactions
In this paper, La Fors eloquently describes how artificial intelligence is affecting children. They dive into the use of AI in the children's lives discussing both the positive and negative biases that arise in the children's psychological and moral development.
Where are the politics in responsible innovation?
This paper particularly focus on Responsible Innovation. RI is focused on ensuring that societal needs and values are taken into account when creating new technology. Though a bit older than some of the other papers we have, this offers great insight into European opinions on AI technology.