For as long as the term Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been around, people have been afraid of it. Over the years, hundreds of stories have come out portraying the monstrosities a sentient AI could achieve if let off the hook. Pop culture quickly embraced this fear and turned the stories into cinematic events.
But the real question is, is this fear of AI justified? Should humans be afraid of AI, or are we letting our imaginations get the better of us? Let’s delve into the reasons humanity is so fearful of AI.
Stealing Jobs
One of the biggest fears of AI is the potential of mass unemployment as AI replaces workers. This concern emerged during the previous wave of automation, which mainly affected blue-collar jobs. In the new wave, it will mainly affect white-collar service-oriented jobs.
Despite the technological advancements that have occurred, the reality is that 80% of the jobs currently done by machines could potentially be automated. This leaves people worried about their futures and their jobs. Many experts argue that there will always be a need for human labor and oversight, but it is difficult to stem the tide of this fear.
Taking Over the World
So, will AI eventually take over the world? Probably not. Most scientists responsible for developing AIs have grown up with the same media as us and thus know better than to design something without limitations.
Despite the various entertaining AI-based movies, most of them share the negative image of AI in a world where machines will eventually take over. The number of people has already surpassed computers with mobile devices, making a shift in humans’ global dominance seem plausible.
It’ll Hurt Us
Aside from being able to improve a wide range of domains, AI also has the potential to automate specific tasks, such as controlling robots that can perform various tasks more efficiently. Despite the positive effects of AI, people still have mixed feelings about it. One of the main reasons they are afraid of AI is the potential for accidents involving machines.
While people have died from robot and automation accidents, they have been precisely that – accidents. Thus far, no death or injury has occurred due to the planning of an AI. Many more people have been harmed due to the negligence of humans.
Superintelligence
One of the biggest fears of AI is that it will become super intelligent – too intelligent. In these scenarios, people always picture the AI deciding that it no longer cares for humans (which is the best-case scenario for them). This is because it will no longer be reliant on humans to develop and improve. This fear is because our brains will eventually stop being able to keep up with the technological advancements happening all around us.
