How to worry wisely about artificial intelligence
Rapid progress in AI is arousing fear as well as excitement. How worried should you be?
“Should we automate away all the jobs, including the fulfilling ones? Should we develop non-human minds that might eventually outnumber, outsmart...and replace us? Should we risk loss of control of our civilisation?” These questions were asked last month in an open letter from the Future of Life Institute, an ngo. It called for a six-month “pause” in the creation of the most advanced forms of artificial intelligence (AI), and was signed by tech luminaries including Elon Musk. It is the most prominent example yet of how rapid progress in AI has sparked anxiety about the potential dangers of the technology.
Explore more
This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “How to worry wisely about AI”
Leaders
April 22nd 2023- How to worry wisely about artificial intelligence
- Ukraine’s coming counter-offensive may shape its future—and Europe’s
- Bolivia’s crisis shows the limits of left-wing populism
- In Sudan and beyond, the trend towards global peace has been reversed
- Why America will soon see a wave of bank mergers
- Why the world should welcome competition from Chinese carmakers
From the April 22nd 2023 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the edition
Why Marine Le Pen should be allowed to run for president
Punish the offender without also punishing French democracy
First, jab more babies
As aid shrinks, donors and recipients should focus more on health
Israel’s expansionism is a danger to others—and itself
It risks turning hubris into disaster
Is Elon Musk remaking government or breaking it?
So far, there is more destruction than creation
The unpredictability of Trump’s tariffs will increase the pain
Businesses are struggling to adjust
Labour can still rescue Britain’s growth prospects
But after a messy Spring Statement, the window of opportunity is narrowing