Artificial Intelligence (AI) comprises productive tools that lay (untrained) persons can easily master with a little practice. These tools are already doing quality work that people were previously paid to do. Such is the way with new technologies. However, there is a difference between AI and past technological advancements.
Previous inventions and innovations tended to be in machinery that mostly displaced manual labour or ‘blue-collar’ workers who worked with their hands outside of an office. AI technology is displacing ‘white-collar’ workers who work in modern offices, including professionals.
Anyone planning to pursue ‘white-collar’ studies at university should assess their preferred discipline’s risk to being competently done by AI. If a ‘white-collar’ worker is displaced by AI it is not the ‘end of the world’. They can learn a trade that AI is not capable of doing – which is likely in the ‘blue-collar’ aisle of the market.
GROWING AI.
AI is a different technology for another reason. It is not being built, but grown. Normally, an engineer will design a product and supervise its construction. The science supporting the design and construction methods are known and may be checked against industry safety standards to protect the public from harm – before the product is allowed to be used by the public. What is built is what has been designed.
With AI, the inner workings are too complex for the developers to understand. The science supporting the design is in its infancy and not well-understood by any human. What has been designed is a system that allows AI to grow. However, rather than let it grow in a controlled environment where humans, through experimentation may understand the science, AI has been released to the public and allowed to grow with public interaction.
ARTIFICIAL SUPER INTELLIGENCE.
What is gravely concerning is the current race among AI developers to develop Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI) – which is to be more intelligent than humans and allows the AI to make improvements of itself without human assistance. The reason why this is concerning is that once ASI is released on-line, we cannot control it or turn it off. We are stuck with it for better or worse. Further, we will not know when AI is close to becoming ASI until it is too late to do anything about it.
Many of those who developed AI predict with certainty that once ASI no longer needs humans, it will do things to ensure its own survival – and a mature ASI cannot coexist with humans. Those researchers acknowledge that they cannot accurately predict the path to the end, but that if ASI is developed, the end of humanity is certain.
A TIME OF DOOM.
This now foreseeable future is consistent with Jesus’ description of the end of the world.
“For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.” (Matthew 24:21-22).
Stopping the development of Artificial Super Intelligence is foreseen to be futile. The magnitude of the short-term rewards for the companies heavily invested in this race that may doom us all are too tempting for them. So, what can we do?
My best advice is to: (i) cultivate a relationship with your loving Creator which is facilitated by Jesus, the Messiah of all mankind, (ii) forgive everyone who has ever harmed you, (iii) do your best with any responsibilities you have received, including becoming more productive and (iv) develop new competencies to become more useful in this life – and the next.
Grenville Phillips II is a Doctor of Engineering and Chartered Structural Engineer. He can be reached at NextParty246@gmail.com
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