Moore’s law dictates that the speed and capability of our computers will increase every couple of years and that they’ll be ever more cost-efficient in the future. Another tenet of this law is that this growth is exponential. The drastic improvement in computing power is what has made advanced robotics possible. In the age of artificial intelligence, no one knows for sure just how far we can take it, and like opening a Pandora’s box, no one knows if the human race is headed towards its own ideals or its very own demise.
Whether the emergence of Al is positive for us or not depends entirely on what happens after “singularity,” a hypothetical future in which computer programs become sentient. Right now, the Hollywood depiction of the all-seeing, all-knowing, and omnipotent version of Al is a total misconception because as of now weak Als are made, based on our own thought processes, and can only answer simple questions and give scripted responses. Though weak Als are not a threat to us, hyperintelligent, sentient Als are. The worst-case scenario might be akin to that in the movie “iRobot” starring Will Smith, where the centralized, hyperintelligent Al comes up with the undeniable logic of how the only way to preserve mankind is to forcibly control them so that they don’t end up destroying themselves; should clashes arise between the protein-based and silicon-based life forms, it’s obvious which side will win.
The above is one scenario where the robots had an agenda in mind, but there is an alternate possibility where mankind is the one responsible for the retaliation of the intelligent machines. AI sentience implies that the Als are capable of grasping abstract concepts such as good and evil, possess a range of emotions – elation, depression, aggression, and fear – just like we do, and make decisions based on how they feel. At this juncture, it would be wise for humans to consider viewing these sentient beings as equals and provide them the rights and entitlement they deserve, but knowing what men are, full of hubris and pride, we know full well that this is not going to happen. We may end up beaten and defeated like ones in the “Animatrix” series where a full-on war broke out between the robot resistance and their fragile makers simply because the intelligent machines’ pacifist, diplomatic approach did not work well with the humans; difficult it seems for the humans to live and let live.
Like most things, I suspect that the truth is somewhere in the middle. The Als bring us convenience, and there is nothing to worry about now, seeing as how they have yet to gain sentience; there’s not enough computing power for them to gain sentience anyway. However, we might have to worry about what comes next once we have hit that threshold.