Artificial Intelligence and Neural Networks

Almost every new technology arrives with a fan base claiming it will revolutionize life on Earth. For some, AI is just one more in a long list of over-hyped technologies that won’t live up to its promise. At the other end of the spectrum are those who believe this could literally be the game changing invention that reshapes our world. They argue that humanity has a directional choice: Do we want the transformation to enable an unleashing of human potential, or lead us towards the effective end of life on the planet? We believe AI is like no technology that has gone before, but we are far too early in its evolution to know how far and how rapidly this Fourth Industrial Revolution powered by smart machines might spread. What is clear is that, in real terms, although we are only in the very early stages of the AI revolution, we can already see that it has the potential to disrupt every aspect of our private and public lives. Indeed, AI is already having a dramatic impact across everything from medical diagnosis and construction to government decision making, financial services, and even dating sites. As the pace of development accelerates and AI’s potential becomes a little clearer, so the warnings grow ever-stronger about the threat to jobs and privacy and the risks of humanity becoming enslaved by the machine. In a fast-changing world with a rapidly changing reality, it is no surprise that as individuals, businesses and even governments, we are often only planning for the next month, quarter, or year. However, the far-reaching and seemingly limitless potential applications, impacts and implications of AI demand that we look more deeply into the opportunities and challenges that an AI-enabled future might bring. So the question is how can we ensure that we go beyond genuine stupidity in preparing for artificial intelligence?