Given the increasing incidence of cyber warfare, generative AI technologies can help defence departments detect potential intrusions and cyber-attacks. AI could also help improve the quality of training for soldiers with realistic simulations of complex battlefield scenarios.
Artificial intelligence (AI) generates more fear than enthusiasm. From concerns around widespread job losses to the imagined dominance of intelligent machines, AI has become the grist of choice for the scaremonger’s mill. Both tech enthusiasts and the general public worry about the potential implications of AI. However, one AI breakthrough managed to captivate the masses like never before—ChatGPT. Launched last November, this innovative chatbot became a viral sensation, attracting 200 million users within 6 months, with its sophisticated, human-like responses.
ChatGPT’s unprecedented success reignited discussions on crucial topics like jobs, wages and the fate of humanity itself. What if AI becomes so powerful that it overtakes us? Amid such hype, it is easy to get carried away thinking that AI is going to usher in utopia or that it makes us all redundant, depending on your persuasion. But, as with any technology, it pays to take a clear-headed view on how AI will impact our world. Regulated and used properly, AI technologies hold immense potential for positive change, while sensible regulation can help offset any short-term distress.
Fear and loathing on the AI trail
When we consider how humans have historically adapted to new technologies, it becomes apparent that our ability to adjust is not new. Throughout our existence, we have relied on various modes of transportation, from walking and horseback riding to wind-powered boats. In the 1700s, we entered the locomotion age with the advent of steam engines and internal combustion. Now, we find ourselves at the dawn of the autonomous age, an exciting time filled with new possibilities. As Bill Gates said1 during his AI-powered autonomous ride on busy London streets, humans have consistently embraced and adapted to transformative technologies.
In fact, people are already benefiting from AI. One need not look far to find examples of how AI technologies are making the world a better place. In healthcare, for example, the use of robots in healthcare applications such as robotic surgery, rehabilitation, and patient care has been increasing. Rather than replacing healthcare professionals, robots assist doctors and nurses in performing complex procedures and tasks, enhancing precision and patient outcomes.
The manufacturing industry has long embraced AI to improve the quality and consistency of goods. In fact, the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) reports3 that a record high 517,385 new industrial robots were installed in 2021, representing a 31% year-on-year growth rate. Despite the increase in robot installations, the manufacturing sector has not shed jobs as feared. On the contrary, the sector witnessed employment growth, as indicated by labour statistics4.
This isn’t to say that AI does not disrupt our world adversely. There is good reason to fear the rapid, unchecked progress of any pathbreaking technology, but the pessimists are being too pessimistic on AI. They forget the fact that humans can slow the advance of technology if required by regulation. Proponents of this view include Sam Altman, the founder of Open AI—the company behind ChatGPT, who believes that there are clearly risks to letting AI technology advance so fast.
One fear—a sensible one—is that AI makes the poor worse off, with most of the benefits going to the privileged classes or the tech elite. Bill Gates has put forth a bold proposition6 to tax robots in a manner similar to how humans are taxed, with the ultimate goal of redistributing the rewards of technology. A robot tax would help correct for the unequal distribution of benefits. We need pragmatic thinking on the merit and detail of such proposals. This would also help decouple the debate on the overall advance of AI from the fraught discussions on jobs.
The promise of generative AI
The future holds great potential for ChatGPT and generative AI, and we can anticipate numerous exciting advances in the years to come. Some white-collar workers are already using ChatGPT as a virtual assistant to research and summarize information that will allow them to do their jobs better. In another example, techies, who are not good at writing emails or hate doing so, are relying on ChatGPT to help write professional emails. It is hard to measure the productivity gains in scenarios such as these, but it is also harder to ignore ChatGPT’s utility.
Let’s take the example of defence—an area where one would think generative AI is not particularly relevant. But, given the increasing incidence of cyber warfare, generative AI technologies can help defense departments detect potential intrusions and cyber-attacks. In a different example, they could also help improve the quality of training for soldiers with realistic simulations of complex battlefield scenarios.
While it is commonly said that “jack of all trades, master of none” applies to ChatGPT’s current state, an exciting advance is on the horizon: expert-level knowledge. As ChatGPT continues to learn from extensive datasets, there is potential for it to acquire in-depth expertise in specific domains. This transformative development could position ChatGPT as a valuable resource in specialized fields like medicine, law, or engineering, offering accurate and informed responses to complex queries. This could reduce the burden on doctors and lawyers who are famous for working long hours. Generative AI won’t reduce the need for workers—there is so much latent demand—it will merely shift them to other and more valuable areas of their work.
As ChatGPT continues to evolve, it becomes an invaluable asset in specialized fields, contributing to the progress and preservation of our ever-evolving human race and rich knowledge. Just as fire transmuted from feared to invaluable, AI technologies like ChatGPT can revolutionize human-machine collaboration and further accelerate technological progress. By combining technology with pragmatism, we can shape a future where AI serves as a catalyst for positive change.
https://www.financialexpress.com/business/defence-ai-scare-to-chatgpt-sensation-exploring-how-ai-will-impact-industry-3190531/
