Although artificial intelligence has been integrated into our lives rather seamlessly, there are many out there who think about AI becoming more powerful and immediately associate that with movies such as IRobot or TV shows like Westworld. They assume that using and creating better AI will lead to a machine revolution that will wipe out humanity. Life isn’t like a science fiction movie though, and while AI does have the ability to change the world in myriad ways, it doesn’t mean that humans will go extinct. Like this, there are many other myths surrounding artificial intelligence and this blog is going to discuss a few of them.
AI Is Going To Take Our Jobs
It’s widely acknowledged that the advent of automation and AI has the potential to greatly disrupt the labor market. However, it is also important to note that this is not a simple transfer of labor from humans to machines. The rise of industrial revolutions has led to various changes in the employment landscape. For instance, during the 19th century, the mass shift from agriculture to factories led to the creation of many jobs. Despite the various predictions that AI and automation will lead to mass unemployment, there is still no evidence that this is happening. It’s also important to note that a more productive economy can provide us with more opportunities to pursue our income-generating pursuits. This is because the reduction of waste and efficiency that automation promises can help us spend our time doing productive things.
Super Computers Will Beat Humans At Everything
AI applications are divided into two categories: generalized and specialized. Specialized AIs are those that are focused on performing one task or working in one field and are improving their skills rapidly. Medical and legal AIs are examples of specialized AIs that are already good at what they are doing. On the other hand, generalized AIs are those that are capable of performing a variety of tasks, just as natural intelligence is. This is why, while we may come across AIs that are better than humans at a given task, it’s not likely that we’ll encounter them in person before the end of this decade.
AI Will Enslave The Human Race
Probably the most popular myth surrounding artificial intelligence is that it will enslave humanity. Although this is a common science fiction scenario, some voices such as Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk, have made it clear that the threat is real. Despite the various technological advancements that have occurred in artificial intelligence over the past few years, it’s still important to note that there are still many boundaries that need to be crossed before we can fully realize the potential of this technology. Right now, it’s very unlikely that anyone would be developing AI that can “make up its mind” to enslave humans.