During the course of IST 110 we have talked about the amazing possibilities technology can have whether its defined within the Internet of Things or just simply a faster processing unit. However, I have constantly questioned and thought about “how much technology is too much”? Is there a point of no return, a point where technology begins to learn and adapt so much it tries to change our society on a global level?

Recently, this has not been a worry of mine until we began learning of how much these devices truly know, especially the devices that are capable of adapting its outputs given certain inputs. Elon Musks most recent statement about regulating AI also has my view on smart technology scrambled. If the man who is one of a few public faces for improvements in AI is calling for “regulations”, even on his own companies, is this cause for concern?

Musk stated in the article that it is difficult to follow through with such regulations and implementations because we simply cant grasp the rate at which these devices learn and grow. He also said that we are at a point in time where deep intelligence agencies have the capability of using AI in forms of terrorism with the intent of collapsing careers, organizations and even political parties by creating fake news and manipulating information. When implemented, a specific AI unit has the ability to read and transform data then output the most effective way to complete its task while at the same time learning from previous entries. With how quickly computers process and generate data this essentially will lead to never-ending knowledge and adaptability at a rate that is unknown. Should we be worried about the intelligence of our intelligence or are we just paranoid?

Source:

Froelich, Paula. “Elon Musk Calls for Regulations on Artificial Intelligence.” New York Post, New York Post, 22 Feb. 2020, nypost.com/2020/02/22/elon-musk-calls-for-regulations-on-artificial-intelligence/.