Yoshua Bengio, one of the world’s leading artificial intelligence researchers, warns that our civilization is in danger of collapsing.
Bengio wants artificial intelligence to serve humanity. But, to put it in his own words, he fears that humans will become “obsolete” as technology changes rapidly.
Bengio is calling for a six-month moratorium on artificial intelligence development, but most importantly, he wants business leaders and the public to recognize the immense problem we have.
This problem is not new. Martin Heidegger identified it at the beginning of the last century. Technology was already developing so rapidly that the great philosopher feared it was slipping out of human control.
In reality, technology is never entirely beyond human control. But some technologies are developed simply because it is possible to develop them, without any moral, economic or political reflection on their implications.
However, for better or for worse, Pandora’s box has been opened. Artificial intelligence is here to stay. And it will continue to grow, despite Benjio’s warnings and those of the thousands of specialists who signed the application with him. It is in the nature of the animal.
Artificial intelligence and atomic bomb
Benjio compares the creation of artificial intelligence to that of the atomic bomb. The comparison is only partially valid.
Nuclear armament is being limited by a few great powers trying somehow, but rather poorly, to slow its spread. India, Pakistan, North Korea have nuclear weapons. Israel probably too. Iran and Saudi Arabia could soon follow. Russian propaganda trivializes the use of nuclear weapons.
How long can the development of artificial intelligence be controlled by a few countries?
The problem is not so much that nuclear weapons exist, but that they end up in the hands of irresponsible rulers.
Likewise, there is nothing to suggest that dictators will curb the development of artificial intelligence if they think it can increase their power.
sentenced
Democratic countries are doomed to push artificial intelligence development for fear of being overtaken by authoritarian or totalitarian countries that would abuse it. Albert Einstein came to the same conclusion with nuclear power.
We can no longer control the cognitive processes of artificial intelligence, but we can deny it access to certain areas, especially decision-making positions in companies, media or government. No human should be managed, informed, or directed by robots that have no conscience, morals, or feelings.
On the other hand, since robots replace humans, they need to be made to pay “taxes”. Otherwise, we will be faced with a flood of the needy while states have less and less money to fund their policies.
