Control over AI uncertain as it becomes more human-like: Expert

ANKARA

Debates are raging over whether artificial intelligence, which has entered many people's lives through video games and is governed by human-generated algorithms, can be controlled in the future.

Other than ethical standards, it is unknown whether artificial intelligence systems that make decisions on people's behalf may pose a direct threat.

People are only using limited and weak artificial intelligence with chatbots in everyday life and in driverless vehicles and digital assistants that work with voice commands. It is debatable whether algorithms have progressed to the level of superintelligence and whether they will go beyond emulating humans in the future.

The rise of AI over human intelligence over time paints a positive picture for humanity according to some experts, while it is seen as the beginning of a disaster according to others.

Wilhelm Bielert, chief digital officer and vice president at Canada-based industrial equipment manufacturer Premier Tech, told Anadolu that the most unknown issue about artificial intelligence is super artificial intelligence, which is still largely speculative among experts studying AI and which exceeds human intelligence.

He said that while humans build and program algorithms today, the notion of artificial intelligence commanding itself in the future and acting like a living entity is still under consideration. Given the possible risks and rewards, Bielert highlighted the importance of society approaching AI development in a responsible and ethical manner.

Prof. Ahmet Ulvi Turkbag, a lecturer at Istanbul Medipol University’s Faculty of Law, argues that one day, when computer technology reaches the level of superintelligence, it may want to redesign the world from top to bottom.

"The reason why it is called a ‘singularity’ is that there is no example of such a thing until today. It has never happened before. You do not have a section to make an analogy to be taken as an example in any way in history because there is no such thing. It's called a singularity, and everyone is afraid of this singularity," he said.

Vincent C. Muller, professor of Artificial Intelligence Ethics and Philosophy at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, told Anadolu it is uncertain whether artificial intelligence will be kept under control, given that it has the capacity to make its own decisions.

"The control depends on what you want from it. Imagine that you have a factory with workers. You can ask yourself: are these people under my control? Now you stand behind a worker and tell the worker ‘Look, now you take the screw, you put it in there and you take the next screw,’ and so this person is under your control," he said.

Artificial intelligence and the next generation

According to Bielert, artificial intelligence will have a complicated and multidimensional impact on society and future generations.

He noted that it is vital that society address potential repercussions proactively and guarantee that AI is created and utilized responsibly and ethically.

"Nowadays, if you look at how teenagers and younger children live, they live on screens," he said.

He said that artificial intelligence, which has evolved with technology, has profoundly affected the lives of young people and children.