It can be safely said that Information Technology and the Internet have had a hugely beneficial impact on Humanity. The world as we know it today cannot be imagined without the role these technologies play. They have made things easier, faster and more efficient in countless fields. There is, of course, the dark side, but much regarding that depends on people’s individual choices. Society has needed to evolve to cope with the side-effects – by and large it has managed to do so.
Now there is the new challenge that has emerged from the ongoing technological advancement – Artificial Intelligence (AI). It too has many uses and advantages, but its negatives are becoming known much faster than in earlier breakthroughs. It is not so much taking over human consciousness as threatening to replace it. The immediate fear is that it will take away people’s jobs – eventually almost entirely. Information Technology did so, but it also led to the creation of new ones. That does not seem to be the case with AI. It is essential, therefore, for all to examine the entire phenomenon carefully and design effective protocols that will keep the jinn in the bottle, even as it delivers on humanity’s wishes.
Much of the advances in AI are taking place in the technologically advanced countries, but the impact is worldwide. As such, the initiative taken by India with the ongoing AI Summit is to bring together nations, particularly the middle-ranking ones, in the effort to develop an understanding of the potential, threats and opportunities this rapidly developing sector represents. It is ridiculous, as some are demanding, that the answers and policies be established even before the discussions are held. There are thousands of experts of various kinds involved in the process and it will take some time before the required understanding is developed.
Of course, at the individual level, the impact of AI can be limited by personal choices. It will find its way into many of the services provide, just like the internet. Already, many of the social media platforms greatly influence people’s minds through algorithms of various kinds and it becomes difficult to distinguish which bias is being reinforced for someone’s benefit. At the same time, however, people are learning to manage this manipulation by consciously looking for alternatives, and even putting down the smartphone. Engaging with the real world and nature also helps. Hopefully, over time, the same will happen with AI – it will be a tool that serves, not overcomes.
