The year is 2085 and all the robots powered by artificial intelligence decide to wage war on mankind and an epic battle of supremacy begins. I know that this scenario may well be part of the script of a sci-fi movie but some eminent scientists have repeatedly warned that this is possible in reality.
Here is an excerpt from an article published on scientificamerican.com; “In 2014, SpaceX CEO, Elon Musk tweeted: ‘Worth reading Super-intelligence by Bostrom. We need to be super careful with AI. Potentially, more dangerous than nukes.’ That same year, University of Cambridge Cosmologist, Stephen Hawking told the BBC: ‘The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.’ Microsoft Co-Founder, Bill Gates, also cautioned: ‘I am in the camp that is concerned about super intelligence.’”
I accept these are certainly extremes in discussing the critical role artificial intelligence and robotics will play in our world going forward. These super intelligent machines will bring profound, unstoppable and unbelievable change globally.
The reality is that, for some, especially, those in advanced countries that have seen and experienced how intelligent machines are outperforming humans when it comes to performing certain tasks, the message remains that certain functions in various workplaces are facing huge threats due to ever evolving intelligent machines. Intelligent machines are already doing excellent jobs, perhaps jobs, which humans may never be able to perform with precision.
Clerical workers for instance, who perform tedious tasks such as writing reports or working on spread sheets are getting an easy replacement with software but, what other jobs are under threat? The fact is that more than 30 per cent of humans could lose their jobs in the next few decades, according to various studies.
Emerging technology could make the trend more uncertain and exacerbating as they are different from the previous waves of industrial advancement. Now, it is not just working class jobs, primarily done with the hands that robotics threaten. Funny enough, intelligent machines are already diagnosing health conditions, carrying out criminal investigations, writing annual reports, researching criminal cases in court, checking in hotel guests and serving coffee, etc.
Richard and Daniel Susskind in their study titled, “The Future of the Professions” argued that professions such as medicine, law, accountancy and engineering could bear the first impact of the rise of the machines.
If that is the case, why do we need a GP, when a robot can read our complex physiologies and — Finish Reading on the Punch Website
