AI Called New Kind Of Species By Microsoft Exec
Mustafa Suleyman, chief executive of Microsoft AI, recently gave a TED Talk in which he said that technology should be viewed as a new kind of digital species rather than simply tools. Suleyman expounded on this new terminology, saying that artificial intelligence is the newest wave of creation since life started on Earth, calling it “the fastest and most consequential wave ever.” As the chief executive of artificial intelligence at one of the biggest tech companies in the world, Suleyman’s comments certainly hold water.
A Digital Species
Suleyman reasoned that viewing AI as a new digital species would help to “put human agency at its center,” which would help to “mitigate the inevitable unintended consequences of the technology.” Suleyman’s point about artificial intelligence having consequences in the future is one of the biggest controversies surrounding the technology. For now, the main worry about artificial intelligence is its capability to displace people from their jobs in favor of profits in industries like call centers, retail, tech, creative arts fields, and much more.
To Serve And Amplify Humanity
The Microsoft executive also argued making the right analogies for AI, like referring to it as a digital species, would help to “prioritize safety” and ensure that the technology “serves and amplifies humanity.” In this respect, Suleyman is definitely right about the vast potential of artificial intelligence to help humanity. The tech is already being used greatly in medical industries, education, and other vital industries where artificial intelligence could expedite and improve many processes.
A Future Of Personal AI
However, as mentioned before, artificial intelligence can also easily be abused for that same reason, displacing people from their jobs. Suleyman’s comments about the AI “species” didn’t necessarily do much to dissuade this notion, as he mentioned a future where people, businesses, and government entities are all represented by “personal AI” or interactive personas that are “infinitely knowledgeable.” This sounds like a bit of a sci-fi nightmare rather than something that people should look forward to, but it’s not really an unexpected comment from someone leading the artificial intelligence charge at a multibillion-dollar tech company.
Full Potential Of AI
Of course, Suleyman had some of his own reservations about his so-called “AI species.” Suleyman talked about how he feels the artificial intelligence space risks falling into a “pessimism aversion trap.” In other words, it seems Suleyman feels our fears about artificial intelligence may cause us to avoid reaching the full potential of the technology. Suleyman expressed that he felt there have been “very, very few downsides,” in recent years, though he added, “that doesn’t mean that that’s what the trajectory is going to be over the next ten years.”
Best To Talk About AI Now Before It’s Too Late
Suleyman wrapped his thoughts up about the potential dangers of the AI species by saying that it’s best to confront and talk about those dangers now rather than being reactive when they finally appear. Suleyman is far from the only person in the tech industry to express concerns about the dangers of artificial intelligence, and he certainly won’t be the last. In the meantime, the issue remains divisive, and further regulations will absolutely be needed going forward to prevent technology from getting way out of hand at dystopian sci-fi movie levels.
