Pros and cons of artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence is not about the notorious uprising of machines, but about how to make human life easier and more convenient. Today it is not just a fantasy of science fiction writers but a real development of scientists and programmers.

Currently, artificial intelligence (AI) is used in various areas of human life and affects both the everyday and personal life of people, as well as their work. This is proven by AI research and development. The benefits of its use are enormous, but some skeptics point out that this innovation does more harm than good. Who is right and what is AI really, the root of evil or a magic tool for solving many problems?

Benefits of AI

The benefits of artificial intelligence are undeniable. It is already used to solve urgent applied problems:

• Expert systems help to develop effective solutions where there is a shortage of highly qualified specialists (distance learning, preliminary medical diagnoses, etc.);
• Autonomous devices explore the environment where a person can be without harm to health or danger to life (space, ocean depths, zones of fires or radioactive contamination, etc.);
• AI of ensuring the minimization of the factor in critical areas of activity in monotonous work (air traffic controller), where many hours of main activity is required (surgeon assistant);
• In transport, AI is used for unmanned control of trains, cars, ships, allowing you to move for a long time without a driver’s rest breaks;
• AI computer users are provided with user-friendly interfaces that allow them to issue commands and perceive information in a natural form (speech recognition and synthesis).

Threats associated with the use of AI

At the same time, AI is fraught with a number of dangers:

• In the socio-political sphere, its use can manifest itself in the form of a desire for total control;
• the accumulation of a huge amount of personal data about users of computer systems leads to a restriction of personal freedoms, and if in authoritarian and despotic societies citizens have at least a theoretical opportunity to resist the authorities and negotiate with them, then in a situation where decisions are made by automation, people will be faced with forces that defy ordinary human influence;
• From an environmental point of view, AI is dangerous;
• humanity destroys the environment, but at least near their homes people try to maintain favorable conditions;
• AI-controlled devices may not take into account all environmental factors, since they are less demanding on the cleanliness of the environment;

The use of AI can also negatively affect the economy:

• the reduction of jobs due to automation can lead to a sharp increase in unemployment;
• many professions are already under threat;
• for example, due to the introduction of self-driving vehicles, fewer drivers are required.