AI is transforming the way businesses and societies operate today. From common home appliances like a robot vacuum cleaner to self-driving cars, we use Artificial Intelligence in almost every part of life today. But can AI be dangerous too? If so, what are the dangers of artificial intelligence that the society should be aware about?
AI applications are used to impact human lives in a positive way. However, any technology in the wrong hands can be utilized for harmful purposes. Along with the successful applications in applied AI, experts are now working hard on General AI, AI that can perform any task that an intelligent human can do, in a faster and more efficient way.
How Can Artificial Intelligence Be Dangerous?
For over two decades, tech companies have been collecting data to build algorithms for AI. However, this data is not adequate for making it super intelligent and gain control over mankind. While AI is meant for doing good to humanity, a simple error or manipulation in the AI algorithm can destroy a life.
Issues like security, legal, and social. are very complex and widespread. Thus, AI needs to learn a lot so that it can be operated safely. Until then, Artificial Intelligence can bring many dangers to human lives.
Let’s take a look at the 5 deadly dangers of Artificial Intelligence.
5 Dangers of Artificial Intelligence
Following are the 5 possible risks of AI in the future if neglected at the design level of these products.
Deepfake Videos
Till date, photos could be morphed or photoshopped to the extent of being flawless. However, the evolving technology in Artificial Intelligence can now manipulate the videos too. It may not be the simplest task, but with the rapid increase in Deepfake videos, it isn’t hard to guess that making fake video clips using AI isn’t rocket science either.
With immense processing power and advanced AI algorithm, Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) can generate photorealistic faces of any human being. Defence agencies are testing new methods for detecting deepfakes. However, with Neural Processing Engines helping Artificial Intelligence take the darker side, we will only see an increase in such videos.
Self-Driving Cars
Self-driving cars may be the future of transportation, but they are not completely safe for the world yet. Using cameras, sensors, and radars, these cars can drive from one destination to another by following the instructions in a given route.
Few companies like Uber and Google are experimenting with self-driving cars, but the result isn’t always pleasing. You may have heard about the fatal accident where a self-driving Uber car mowed down a woman as the car failed to spot the victim on time.
Today’s roads and pedestrian rules aren’t compliant yet for AI driven cars. And it will take some significant time and investment to make the roads safer for these cars. Until then, this AI technology can anytime go out of control on the roads.
Autonomous Weapons
Is Artificial Intelligence threat to mankind? In the case of autonomous weapons, yes. Autonomous weapon is the scariest example where AI is programmed to do something very dangerous. It can bring disaster if fallen in the hands of some individual who doesn’t value human lives.
Last year Google was in the news for helping the Pentagons with AI based drones for military operations. The employees feared this could be a deadly step and the project came into questions for automating fatal drone strikes. The project was finally abandoned, and the company had created an AI code of ethics that prohibits the development of autonomous weapons.
Though military use of Artificial Intelligence is in demand, many AI researchers argue that the decision to take human lives should never be bestowed upon a machine. With a series of UN meetings and campaigns running around, activists hope the use of AI will be banned in autonomous weapons.
Face Recognition
Face recognition is one of the worst risks of artificial intelligence. In many countries, it is widely used for policing and government surveillance purposes. It is a great way to have a safe community by positioning surveying technology in an exceptional way.
With face recognition, even the fingerprint biometrics will be a thing of the past. This technology is gradually entering into conventional machines such as cars, where you can authorize it to start with your face.
Face recognition has also made a big move into the smartphone industry today. It lets you unlock your phone and can tag your photos automatically on social media.
But what if a hacker hacks this data and sells it to some unauthorized personnel? You can easily be their next victim. Hackers can even break into this technology by making fake faces by using silicon or masks to make a replica of your face. Only a robust technology can save us from such breaches, otherwise, our privacy and security will be at great risk.
Social Manipulation
AI is currently being used in almost all the online platforms that serve information, and social media is not an exception either. In the case of target marketing, social media is very effective through the AI powered algorithm.
From our posts, likes, shares, and comments, they can easily interpret our thoughts and create isolation between people with different views. With the power of social manipulation, AI can target the individuals identified through algorithms and personal data and spread whatever information they want.
Facebook was almost in the zone of getting fired following the data scandal where the political consulting firm, Cambridge Analytica had collected the personal data from millions of Facebook profiles and used it for manipulating election results. As a consequence, the company is to be fined $5bn and will now reexamine the ways it handles user data.
Conclusion
Like every technology, Artificial Intelligence is meant to improve the way we live, however, it is how humans use this technology that makes it dangerous. Since this technology is evolving rapidly, it is crucial that we find the best ways to utilize AI technology while minimizing its disastrous potential.
Today, artificial intelligence is used in different industries for many good causes. However, it is the misuse of Artificial Intelligence that we need to be careful of. Otherwise, careless applications of AI can have tragic consequences.
