Unless you haven’t watched the news or logged into the internet for the last six months, you’ll be aware of the staggering developments in the AI sector. Of course, artificial Intelligence hasn’t appeared out of thin air; the notion of AI has been around for decades. The first appearances of technology existed in books that predate the creation of computers. Still, in the last twelve months, the technology has accelerated in its sophistication, which is why people are starting to discuss regulation of the sector and take it far more seriously.
With technology and inventions that are so disruptive, there’s a possibility that people could begin to use this for illicit purposes or personal gain. The internet has been a fantastic example of that. It has brought in some of the most astonishing new inventions and has allowed people to construct ways to bring us all together. However, there is; unfortunately, a dark underbelly of cybercriminals who act amorally, and the fear is that if AI technology fell into their hands, the results could be far more disastrous.
Will AI End Up Having A Positive Or Negative Impact On Society?
AI has already started to have a phenomenal impact in digital sectors already. One prominent example of how well-regulated AI can benefit the industry is the digital gambling sector. This particular sector hit the ground running when the internet began to disrupt the industry in the early 2000s, and it looks like it’s on the ground floor of yet another phenomenal invention.
When you hear AI and casino, you might think of a robot acting as a live dealer during online poker. Although this would be quite the sight, it works slightly more intricately than that. AI can deconstruct vast amounts of gambling data to determine which games work and which are less popular. Now casino companies can unpack information and data much more quickly and efficiently, and customer research, which used to take weeks, now takes a matter of hours.
As AI advances, these processes are expected to become even more streamlined. This is just one example; hundreds of other examples in the finance, healthcare, and transport industries show this technology is here to help and benefit us, but we need to be careful about where and how we implement it.
Overall, this technology has the potential to be overwhelmingly positive and change how we live our lives forever. It’s starting to generate its types of art with fascinating results, but this is the tip of the iceberg for how far it could go. Many technology experts predict it will have the same impact as the internet, but the technology is so state-of-the-art that we must be crucially aware of the dangers too.
The Reason Regulation Is Important
The technology is so new it’s hard to predict how it will unravel. However, there’s no disputing just how seismic the impact will be on many industries. Regulation is necessary because it provides a robust framework for intelligent designers and technology experts who work within the field of AI with clear parameters of what they can and can’t do with the technology.
Even some innovations, which may start with the best intention, could cause significant destruction. For example, a sophisticated AI bot is programmed to spread funny jokes and fake news headlines at a lightning-fast speed so it can go viral online.
While it may begin as light-hearted and humorous, if this technology falls into the wrong hands, it could be used to spread misinformation and fake news en masse. For example, a recent stock market flash crash occurred due to fake AI imagery going viral on Twitter. If used for these purposes, we could face a world where political elections are undermined, cybercriminals become more sophisticated, and it could also take millions of people’s jobs. Another danger of AI is that because the technology is so advanced, it will be complicated to reign it back in once it is out of the box.
Final Thoughts
When prominent figures in AI, such as the creator of ChatGPT Sam Altman, and the world’s richest man Elon Musk are calling for strong regulation in the industry, maybe it’s a good idea to sit up and take notice. If there’s one thing that can rival man’s incredible innovation and genius, it is man’s stupidity.
While people compare AI becoming sentient and depicting a Terminator-like scenario, turning everything into a Hollywood movie plot doesn’t benefit anyone. Ultimately, the critical component is to ensure that the sector is regulated correctly so that it can enact positive changes in society and it isn’t left to the unregulated market to create a scenario where AI completely deforms the projection and development of the human race.
There is a lot at stake, but it’s also a good idea to remain calm and have some perspective; the right people are making the right noises, and once the regulation comes in, we can use this technology safely and for the proper purposes.
