Expanding My View on AI

AI has long been a subject that has peaked my interest. I grew up in a household, where my father was a firm sci-fan. He would watch the original “Star Trek” series over and again. He would also regularly watch shows like the original versions of “Doctor Who”, “The Outer Limits”, and “The Twilight Zone”. My father didn’t just limit himself to older sci-fi shows, he also watched newer sci-fi shows like “Fringe” that came out in 2008. Also, every time a sci-fi movie came to the movie theater, he was sure to see it. Because my father was so firmly enmeshed into the world of sci-fi, I didn’t have a choice as to whether I would watch it or not. Sci-fi was what was on t.v, so I watched it. While I was growing up, I didn’t really consider whether I liked it or not, but when I was no longer a child, I realized that I really liked sci-fi and I continued watching it of my own volition.

I’ve often heard from people who don’t enjoy sci-fi, that the reason why they don’t like it is because they think that it has no value, and that it is just silly stories from someone’s silly imagination. That is not true. As a person who has watched sci-fi her whole life, I know that, whereas the story, might spring from someone’s imagination, the science in sci-fi, is not purely speculative. Looking at the innovations in technology in current times and thinking about past sci-fi t.v shows, I realize a lot of the science in sci-fi is theoretical science. Sci-fi shows and movies often try to serve as a warning of what could happen if that theoretical science is taken too far.

Before this current time, and it’s revelations about the innovations in AI. My thoughts on AI, were shaped by my viewing of sci-fi. To name one movie in particular, I was very influenced by the movie “I Robot”. I’ve watched that movie too many times to count, and every time I watch it, I think of how maybe we shouldn’t go too far in developing AI, because if it ever develops sentience (or something liken to it. Is it possible for a computer to be fully sentient, or will what they have always be a close replica to sentience? I don’t know the answer to that. But it’s worth thinking about.) the human race would be vulnerable to possible subjugation by AI.

Those were my thoughts on AI. Last night I attended a discussion that broadened my perspective on it. The discussion was held at “The Korea Society”, and the title of the discussion was “Our Future with AI: A Conversation with Prof. Jeongki Lim”. What was said about AI wasn’t in, anyway biased. Instead, what was said was acknowledging that AI is a reality. A reality that will not go away because we don’t want it to be here. AI, like so many things in life, is only a tool. A tool is neither inherently good, or bad. It is only becomes good or bad, based on the intent of it’s user. Yes, AI has the potential of being something that can be used for destruction and annihilation, but it could be also used to help save many. That being said, we as people, should take an active role in making sure that AI is shaped and used for the good and not the bad.

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