Are we going too far with the evolution of AI technology?

Whether technological advancements have done more harm than good to modern society has been the topic of numerous debates over the decades.

And there is no doubt Artificial Intelligence is a cornerstone in the advancement of technology.

From automation to improved data analysis, and medical advances, the scope of AI’s evolution is almost limitless, providing businesses and organisations in all fields with optimum efficiency and numerous benefits.

However, even the sweetest roses bear thorns along their stems. Despite the many advantages of AI in our everyday lives, the dangers lurking in its evolution should not be understated. 

The use of AI in social media and online marketing has brought about unspeakable customer manipulation. AI-powered bots, capable of mimicking real users, are now being created on digital media platforms to escalate misinformation and push agendas, making it seem like the information is true, or the agenda, is widely supported.

“Seeing is believing,” does not apply to AI’s deepfake technology, another aspect of AI application that’s scary. AI cannot only modify images, videos and audio, but it can generate new ones that look realistic from scratch. 

The malicious extent of this concept goes beyond a picture of Pope Francis dressed in agbada — fraudsters and cyber criminals are using this technology to make their hoaxes more believable, thereby trapping more victims in their nets. Even a piece of evidence presented to implicate or vindicate someone may just be a deepfake.

AI is transforming industries through automation. Computers and machines are not only complementing work originally done by humans, some of these tasks are being solely undertaken by AI. This leads to increased efficiency and better decision-making, ultimately bringing about economic growth. Sounds nice, but what's the implication of this?

An outplacement firm, Challenger, Grey & Christmas, Inc. reported that 3,900 AI-related job losses were recorded in the United States in May 2023. This shows that more organisations adopting AI is leading to a decline in the need for human resources, which is in turn leading to the loss of jobs. This threat spans across almost all industries, and you’ll be shocked your job is not immune to this job-stealing technology.

Although there are researchers who speculate that AI will provide thousands of jobs in the near future, the question is, "Does the current workforce possess the skills for these promised jobs?" In my opinion, it's going to be an upskill-or-perish situation. 

And now to the most terrifying part of AI’s advancement — robots. While the thought of having a human-like superintelligent machine as your friend or assistant may sound convenient, your fear of the evolution of this technology should outweigh your convenience. 

Robots, through artificial intelligence, are more intelligent now than ever, and this intelligence is dangerously advancing. What’s the assurance they won’t "wake up one morning" and decide to be the dominant species on earth? 

Taking into consideration how deep AI is rooted in our systems, and the level of intelligence, humans versus robots is a lost battle for us. 

United Nations human rights chief, Volker Türk, lamented earlier this year that the expeditious growth and unchecked development in generative AI poses serious risks to human rights. He further called for governments and organisations to root AI advancement in human rights considerations.

Also, the European Union has the world’s first comprehensive AI law, the AI Act, in the works. The Act analyses different AI systems, assesses their risks and classifies them to provide regulations accordingly.

This shows there are movements to regulate AI, as the discussed threats and many more are a matter of concern for major human rights organisations.