Imagine a world where every object you interact with can communicate back—a world where robots, technology, and automation are omnipresent in our daily lives. This science fiction utopia is becoming less fantasy and more reality with each passing day. However, some people are fighting to keep AI at bay. In fact, some of the biggest minds in the world (including Elon Musk and Stephen Hawking) have raised concerns about artificial intelligent, a technology they feel is a serious threat to mankind. This fear has a long-stemming pop culture history with traitorous robots in everything from popular video games like Portal to amazing films like 2001: A Space Odyssey and Ex Machina.
But there is another brighter side to consider. It’s not that we should ignore the possibility of danger, but we should keep in mind that people were just as worried about things like the printing press, an invention that democratized the written word, brought books to the masses, and completely changed the world in a very positive way. Just because AI is approaching at lightning speed, doesn’t mean it’s going to bring about the apocalypse. So let’s talk about the positive side of Artificial Intelligence—the benefits AI might bring and the type of world it could unlock for all of us.
To see where things might go, let’s take a look at where they already are. On the tech side, robots are building bridges and starting kickstarters to find a new robot member for their robot band. Google is treating Wi-Fi as a necessary resource and bringing the Internet to developing countries all over the world. In Japan, robots are even caring for the elderly, helping patients in and out of bed, and helping stroke victims to regain control of their arms and legs. On the Artificial Intelligence front, even the most pessimistic experts agree that robots will likely never replace humans in jobs where empathy and face-to-face human interaction are key components. And if you’re still afraid of a Terminator-like future, maybe it will help to know that there are organizations of very smart people that have been formed specifically to steer Artificial Intelligence in the right direction and prevent robots from bringing about the downfall of all mankind.
I’ve found that for each negative Nostradamus out there, there’s another visionary who believes things will turn out quite the opposite, including people like Peter H. Diamandis, who has written a book called Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think, where he describes in detail how robots and AI will lead to “a world of nine billion people with clean water, nutritious food, affordable housing, personalized education, top-tier medical care, and non-polluting, ubiquitous energy” and Ray Kurzweil, who is currently working to incorporate AI into Google and argues that humans and robots will merge in the next 15 years. And for every GLaDOS and Samantha, you can find a startup that’s working towards creating much nicer robots like The Jetsons’ sassy Rosie, Kevin Spacey’s GERTY in the movie Moon, and of course the classic Robot “Danger, Will Robinson!” B-9 from the TV series Lost in Space.
Our lives are already transforming to resemble those fictional worlds. The next time you take a vacation, you could have an AI assistant give you some options and schedule the best flight. Instead of comparing prices and flight times, you can spend your time choosing which beach has the bluest water. Or maybe you’d prefer to take a road trip with an AI-driven car, spending more time looking out the window instead of driving. The point is, AI is already automating all the parts of travel that we find tedious. It’s simply removing the aspects of travel that we hate and instead, giving us more time to do the things we love. And that’s just the beginning. We’re seeing rapid advancements in organ replacement and biology, and slowly working towards a future where our very thinking is enhanced by AI. But why are people worried about this? I see it the same as when someone asks you a question and you hop on Wikipedia or Google to find the answer, only the search would take a fraction of the time. For all the mystery surrounding AI, it’s much like every other technology: a natural extension of human progression and an improvement over things that were once tedious and time-consuming.
So don’t be afraid of robots or their artificial brains. They’re no different from the smartphone in your pocket or the algorithms behind your favorite website. Technology is expanding and improving at breakneck speed, but that’s a good thing! It’s a chance to strive forward with an entrepreneurial spirit and embrace new opportunities and innovations to make the world a better place for everyone.
Article first published on Business2Community.com as a contributor writer