ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: ITS MERITS AND DEMERITS

 The term Artificial Intelligence was coined by John McCarthy in 1956. It is a branch of
Computer Science, in which the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines,
especially computer systems. It has progressed so miraculously in the last few decades that it has
brought huge changes in almost all fields of life. Different AI-driven applications offer help to
professionals, business persons, educators, and marketers alike. Its use varies from personalized
health monitoring, rescuing, identifying criminals and predicting calamities. Despite these
advantages, it has become a controversial arena on account of the threats that the scientific
community is predicting risks it poses to human beings. Experts, researchers and scientists often
issue warning statements that we, as human beings, are creating a new god that can either be
merciful and good, or vicious and evil.

To begin with, AI has revolutionized the field of medicine as it constantly saving

patients. For example, through a very accurate procedure it scans the medical data and helps
patient by spotting potential anomalies. This machine learning ability is enabling individuals to
monitor their health through devices such as smart watches, wrist bands, walking bands etc.
Already built profiling system makes the medical professionals utilize that computer charting
system, and electronic health record. Such a record is, in fact, an electronic version of a patient’s
medical history maintained by the providers over time that may include all of the key
administrative clinical data relevant to that person’s care under a particular provider, progress
notes, problems, medications, vital signs, past medical history, immunizations, laboratory data and
radiology reports. Briefly, such a vast use of AI has transformed the very approach toward medical
field. Many diseases can be figured out before it gets extended and becomes inevitable. Artificial
Intelligence can predict the breast cancer in advance because of which many women are dying
every day worldwide. Similarly, the most dangerous disease that is a heart attack can be figured
out and cure utilizing modern technologies while using the support of Artificial Intelligence. In
the 21st century, a robot by using Artificial Intelligence has successfully operated human
operations of major organs.

Similarly, the AI leading to reduction of errors and mistakes of human beings. Human
beings are frail creatures which are confronted with lots of errors everywhere. Artificial
Intelligence, on the other hand, can be sufficient to overcome all these errors and weakness of
humans. Artificial Intelligence works on the advanced and proper installed programs; therefore,
the chances of errors are negligible by Artificial Intelligence. For instance, the thinking process
of human minds can never be stopped, thus doing their duty, they can be distracted easily and a
mistake can be done, however, Artificial Intelligence is away from such occurrence. Therefore,
Artificial Intelligence is fruitful to overcome and decrease the errors of humans. Besides the
availability of 24hours, Artificial Intelligence can perform all such tasks with absolute precision
and accuracy which is very essential for the maintenance of the development and that of security
purposes. Artificial Intelligence is error free if the prerequisite is performed according to the
tasks given where 1% chance of error can destruct 99% of the entire structure and composition of
the task. The nuclear collapse of Ukraine is an example of such destruction. Therefore, it is high
time to keep 100 percent accuracy in such sensitive places which can be gained through
Artificial Intelligence only.

Likewise, there are many dangers ahead of humans in day to day life. Humans are faced
with many challenges in daily life routines where some of them can even take the life of humans.
Artificial Intelligence can perform all those jobs instead of humans which are beyond the
human’s approach that might be defusing a bomb, uplifting a hefty steal rod or performing duties
during the earthquake, dealing with the criminals and fire emergency of burning buildings. Thus,
Artificial Intelligence can be put into risk instead of humans into the service of humanity and it is
predicted that Artificial Intelligence can perform tasks in a befitting manner if they are
programmed well even better than that of the humans. In addition, the blessing of Artificial
Intelligence can be available any hour of the day. Artificial Intelligence never gets tired, feel
thirsty or need foods. Humans where can do their duties only 8hours out of 24hours excluding
break time, on the flip side, Artificial Intelligence can be available at the doorsteps all the
24hours of the day. Therefore, such prolonged duty is very important in the departments of
security and intelligence of a country which are always active during the entire day and night.
So, Artificial Intelligence can perform such tasks into the security services of a country.

 Moreover, AI has also proved beneficial for decreasing the impacts of climate change
much better than before. For example, recently it has helped in the detection of deforestation
through satellite imagery, or aerial imagery, including gathering of data about where buildings,
and infrastructure used to stand in the past. Such a move is essential in policymaking to deal with
climate change issues. Likewise, Carbon Tracker is an independent financial think-tank
working toward the UN goal of preventing the operationalization of new coal plants by 2020.
By monitoring coal plant emissions with satellite imagery, Carbon Tracker is able to use the
data it gathers to convince the finance industry that carbon plants are unprofitable. It is also
being used for predicting earthquakes. Although the result for now is not that accurate but in
progress and time may come that it will give an accurate prediction about Tsunami, earthquake,
typhoon, hurricane and volcanic eruption.

Further, to these merits, the transportation industry has made a tremendous progress with
the AI use. One of the most ground-breaking applications of AI is the manufacturing of
autonomous vehicles. Once this concept was merely a sci-fi fantasy but now it has transformed
into a reality. According to a Mckinsey report, 65 percent global goods transportation happens
through trucks. And with autonomous trucks emerging on the scene, maintenance and
administration expenses are likely to plummet to 45 percent. Another transportation problem
people face on daily basis, traffic congestion, is going to witness solutions through AI, as sensors
and cameras embedded on roads are going to help collect the minute traffic details to assist
commuters avoid congestion, seeking alternative routes. Further valuable insights like traffic
predictions can be gleaned from this fast data processing to help build efficient roads and viable
alternative routes. Commuters can have important details like traffic predictions, accidents or
road blockages, which will save many lives. It shows AI has a vital role to play in transportation
industry.

 In the same way, applications of AI in the agriculture sector to help enhance agricultural
yield is not only unprecedented but also marvelous. Today, Artificial Intelligence can be used to
figure out which land is better for production and cultivation and it is used to find the salinity of
the soil into the fields. A huge place of crops can be cut and collected in a matter of hours by
using of heavy machinery with the help of Artificial Intelligence. It can be used to figure out
various viruses, bacteria and germs etc. Similarly, various seeds are sown while using Artificial
Intelligence for the better production of the outcome. In short, Biotechnology while using
Artificial Intelligence has contributed a lot into the services of mankind, therefore, its role in
agriculture is equally important for better production and the result of the crops. A Berlin-based
agricultural tech startup, PEAT, has developed a deep learning application called, Plantix, that
reportedly identifies potential defects and nutrient deficiencies in the soil. To deduce data by
analysis of the soil, plant pests and diseases which are used for soil treatment to increase its
cultivability and yield per acre. It means AI is going to bring an agricultural revolution.

Adding more to it, AI is seen as an engine of productivity and economic growth. In a

journal published by the European Parliament, AI could double annual global economic growth
rates. It further states that AI will drive this growth in two important ways; first, it will cause a
robust increase in labor productivity as much as 40 percent on account of innovative
technologies enabling more efficient workforce. Second, it will create a new virtual workforce
capable of solving problems and self-learning. Briefly put it, AI is going to accelerate economic
growth at an unprecedented rate.

Last but not the least, time is considered to be the most precious resort that human beings
can have. It is said that time is money and this money can be saved and used very well into other
creative activities with the help of Artificial Intelligence. In the contemporary world, Artificial
Intelligence supplies enormous services for human beings through which they can save this very
important treasury of the world. Artificial Intelligence assists man in each and every field of his
life. For instance, today he can search the unknown places in the entire world in a few seconds,
call anyone worldwide in no time, set alarm for his future important meeting etc and can
program many online activities through his virtual assistance. Therefore, the role of Artificial
Intelligence. Along with the splendid rewards it has brought for us, AI also has serious
demerits.
Firstly, AI poses a serious challenge through its invasion of human privacy, and
exploitation of the information gathered about individuals. Given its pervasive intrusion in
general life, it is able to trace and analyze each move of a person, for cameras installed at every
other place in cities use facial recognition algorithms. The recent example was the fault of
Cambridge Analytica which used the information from 50 million Facebook users to impact the
results of the 2016 U.S. Presidential Elections. Similarly, Stolen Data of 533 Million Facebook
Users Leaked Online. This personal data of over 500 million Facebook users was posted in a
low-level hacking forum. The case of U.K.’s Brexit vote also illustrates AI’s power for social
manipulation. Briefly putting it, AI is posing a serious challenge to human privacy, and personal
identification information.
 Secondly, as machines are taking over majority of the manual work, there will be time
when there is very less manual work left for human beings, triggering a mass unemployment. And
this is already happening on industrial scale that artificial intelligence-based systems, and chat
bots are taking e-commerce industry by storm. it seems that machine learning and machine
intelligence is going to take over human jobs more than it is expected, resulting in social unrest.
According to researchers, machines are predicted to be better than us in translating languages by
2024, writing high-school essays by 2026, driving a truck by 2027, working in retail shops by
2031, writing a bestselling book by 2049 and doing a surgery by 2053. In fact, it seems that all
human jobs will become automated within the next 120 years. In this scenario, it is likely that AI
enabled machines are going to replace human beings.
Thirdly, since AI algorithms are man-made, they can have built-in bias inserted into the
algorithms intentionally or inadvertently. If AI algorithms are built with a bias, or the data is
compromised, it is certainly the case that the results are biased. This reality of biased or
compromised data could lead to unintended consequences like the ones seen with discriminatory
recruiting algorithms, and Microsoft’s Twitter chatbot that became racist at times. With
automation, nefarious acts such as phishing, delivery of viruses to software’s, and manipulation
of AI operated systems seem to become difficult for humans to control that there will really a
very short time to do damage-control caused by such acts.

Lastly, the greatest threat of Artificial intelligence is that it can be fallen into the terrorists
and enemies’ hands. Artificial intelligence is like fire, it can be used to heat your room, cook
your foods, but it has also the capability to burn your home. Therefore, Artificial intelligence, if
fallen into the hands of your enemy, can easily destroy you. Similarly, the wrong use of such
intelligence is also very destructive. It has lots of benefits, but if used wrongly all these merits
will account and accumulate into destructions. Therefore, the security and protection of such
technologies are the major concern of the world today.

To sum up, Artificial intelligence is the greatest blessing in the contemporary world.
However, if it is not used the way it ought to be, it might be the worst destruction ever.
Therefore, it is high time to recognize the blessing and curse of this very adventure of the world.
It is like a double edged knife which can cut fruit for you, but if it used wrongly it can cut you
apart too. Therefore, awareness about this high and sensitive technology becomes an obligation
for the people of the time. It has lots of benefits if it is used properly and consciously.