Being Human in the Age of Artificial

Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a conversation
that everyone needs to join
When you grab your iPhone and ask Siri a question or
turn on Alexa and ask her to choose a song to play, do
you give much thought to what you're actually using?
Likewise, when you see a self-driving car or use a
conversational bot online, do you stop and think about
what it really is?

These are examples of artificial intelligence that we

currently use in modern society. But, it's very likely that
AI will become much more sophisticated in the next few
years or decades and could, in theory, do a lot. Max
Tegmark has spent decades studying the cosmos and
how our lives came to be. He's also fascinated by the use
of AI and how it may develop in the future. Yet, he believes AI is a subject we must consider
carefully. If we want AI to continue to enhance and benefit our lives, we must ensure that we
develop and shape it that way. Otherwise, AI could quickly run out of control and negatively
take over our lives.

Of course, on the surface, AI is a hugely positive development. But, how can we make sure that
we continue to develop as a society, using automation freely, without leaving people jobless or
feeling as though they have no purpose left in life? And how can we make sure that AI is
bulletproof and cannot be manipulated in negative ways?

These are all questions we need to ask.

Understandably you may be a little unsure of what AI truly is. It’s a term that describes the
intelligence of machines, as opposed to the natural human type. It is thought that over time,
machines may be able to do many of the tasks humans do, yet there is still debate over the
emotional and reactional side of things.

In this summary, you will explore the seemingly infinite possibilities of AI, delving into the
worries and positives of this fascinating technological development. How do you feel about AI
right now? Perhaps your thoughts will change by the end of the summary!
From an atom to the boom of technology, life was born
As a physician, Max Tegmark has spent countless years studying the history of our cosmos and
how it came to be. It's a subject he's genuinely fascinated by, and with the development of new
technology moving toward AI, the whole issue becomes much more interesting.

Scientists still don't know what caused the Big Bang, although they have extensively studied
what happened after that moment. First came light, and then atoms slowly arranged into
patterns far too complex to understand fully. Finally, after several replications, these atoms
created life.

Perhaps AI is controversial because we cannot understand it the way we understand human life.
There are countless myths and misconceptions connected to the subject, but there are also
valid and honest discussions we need to have about how we want to shape our future with AI a
part of it. For instance, will the same machines we give our intelligence control us, or will we
control them?

First, we need to understand the two types of AI — narrow AI and artificial general intelligence
(AGI). The first option is weaker than general AI, which is more complex. We currently have
Narrow AI in society — Siri and Alexa — that is quite limited and, in some ways, pretty basic. Yet
AGI is much stronger and 'otherworldly.' If you've ever seen a Hollywood movie with a robot
that has the power to do many human tasks, you’ve seen what we're referring to. In this case,
the machine can use its intelligence to solve problems in similar ways to a human.

However, it is very possible that AGI will become commonplace in the next few decades.
Technology is becoming more and more powerful every year, allowing researchers in the AI field
to build even stronger machines.

As progress continues, it may not be too long before AI can reach the point of human
proficiency. That gives many fantastic opportunities, but it also brings countless challenges.

Did you know? According to Tech Jury, artificial intelligence has the power to increase
productivity by up to 40%.

AI has significant potential to turn the job market on its head

One of the most common concerns about AI is that it will take over the job market and leave
humans without regular work. While it's true that one day, robots will be able to do some tasks
that humans currently do, it's unlikely to mean mass unemployment. If anything, AI may create
jobs in other markets.
Due to the complex nature of AI, it's easy to look at the negative side, but these developments
have significant potential to improve our lives in many ways. It can make our personal lives
easier, give us more time with loved ones, make the world's financial markets run much
smoother, and save energy. AI also has the potential to work well in the medical world.

Yet, another concern is that while AI may help make businesses more productive by saving time
and energy, it may also widen the inequality gap. As a result, it's vital that society chooses to act
correctly and redistributes some of the wealth that AI generates. That way, nobody stands to
lose out.

Machines will likely replace humans in specific industries, such as automation and call center
work. Yet, researchers argue that this is a good thing. Humans can then move into jobs that give
them absolute job satisfaction and a sense of purpose.

Tegmark believes that today's youth should start planning their work futures around the
potential boom in AI. He advises youngsters to go into industries where machines aren't so
talented. These industries include creative endeavors, person-centered jobs, and anything with
an air of unpredictability. These are the types of jobs that machines will struggle to carry out
effectively, or at all.

Who will be in control, humans or robots?

Researchers aim to build AI that reaches the human level. The worry is that this will, in some
ways, mean that robots surpass humans, and we get left behind. That also brings up the
question of whether it will be robots who control society or humans.

While this may sound far-fetched, it is a legitimate question. There has to be a certain amount
of control involved in this situation; otherwise, AI may overtake humans and take over the
world. Again, this sounds like a script from a Hollywood blockbuster, but the idea doesn’t seem
so 'out there' if safeguards exist.

The history of the cosmos and the creation of life shows that life falls into a highly complex
hierarchy but is mainly centered around control, collaboration, and competition over time. With
the introduction of super-intelligence, all this is likely to happen on a much bigger scale than
we've ever seen before.

The question is, will introducing such complex intelligence create totalitarian control, or will
individuals become more empowered and equal? Of course, the hope is for the latter, but we
may find ourselves in the former situation without strict rules and careful management.

Tegmark believes that implementing super-intelligence may be the best thing to ever happen to
the world but could also turn out to be the worst. Without actions now, like creating careful
measures and discussing as a society what we want versus what we don't, we could find
ourselves with an existential issue that threatens life as we know it. The good news is that it
won't be too late for us if we can gain an understanding now of how we can steer the outcome
toward something beneficial.

Can humans and super-intelligence live side by side?

Perhaps one of the most contentious subjects related to AI is whether or not humans and
super-intelligent “beings” can live side by side. Or will one always hold power over the other?
Many worry that robots will be in charge, seemingly more controlled and developed than
humans.

In reality, this isn't likely to be the case, but there is a possibility of that occurring in the
millennia to come.

Max Tegmark points out that super-intelligence can live happily and peacefully alongside
humans through force or by so-called friendly AI —super-intelligence that wants to act as a
protector-type being.

Can human beings be forced into extinction and become entirely replaced by AI? The good news
is there is no evidence to suggest that could happen, yet it makes no sense to rule it out. AI is
uncontrollable in many ways, yet we have the power to hold the reins. Should technology
develop faster than now, and we push forward without truly understanding what we're doing
and creating, there is the slight possibility of “creating a monster.”

The best way to avoid this rather disastrous scenario is to ensure that more people join the AI
conversation before further development occurs. We need to identify the goals we have for the
future so that we don't accidentally end up getting lost in the process. It's effortless to get swept
away when new developments are taking place. Of course, AI is fascinating, but when that type
of situation happens, human instinct is to keep going to push the boundaries. Without
understanding what we are creating, what we want it to do, and how we will control it, the
future could be a little uncertain.

Rest assured that, at least for now, there is no terrifying army of robots plotting to take over the
world!

AI may control the future of humanity

The development of the cosmos and life as we know it has taken billions of years. In
comparison, the development of intelligence has taken very little time. However, technology is
also limited by the laws of physics, just as the development of human life.
Future intelligence will likely be far more advanced than we have now and probably more
advanced than we can imagine. Super-intelligent 'beings' would likely use their resources very
efficiently, becoming extremely powerful. It may reach the point where our planet houses two
different civilizations: human life and super-intelligent life. We can choose to cooperate and get
along or work against each other. If that is the case, super-intelligence would likely be the
winner.

Max Tegmark believes that failing to develop technology in the right way could be the one thing
that causes human extinction in the distant future. Of course, it could also come down to a
catastrophic event such as an asteroid, a massive volcanic eruption, or perhaps nothing at all.
Yet, we must continue developing and improving our technology with care and attention to
avoid problems and arm ourselves with the potential to improve life on Earth beyond all
measures.

Super-intelligence could fall into that category as long as it is harnessed and controlled correctly.
If not, there is a chance that the AI we are carefully developing right now could become the
dominant civilization in the future.

Imagining a world with robots in control may sound highly far-fetched, and while the chances
are slim, the possibility is still there. While it's true that none of us will live to see a world in
such a state, we are responsible for ensuring a happy and prosperous place for future
generations. That can only happen with careful action in the here and now.

Conclusion
Few people truly understand the idea of artificial intelligence. Many people don't realize that
the questions they ask Siri on their iPhone are a form of AI, albeit narrow. But this is just the tip
of the iceberg. Researchers have been working on AI development for years.

Many years ago, the American cartoon series The Jetsons featured a family in a highly
technological world. They traveled around in flying cars, and everything in their home was
robotic. This series was popular because it was so 'out there’ and far removed from reality.
However, was it…really? Could we live in such a technological world in the future?

You could argue that we're on our way to achieving that. We already have automated bots to
answer our questions, cars that drive themselves, and Alexa, who tends to our every whim.
These types of AI are controlled by us and have limitations. We feel comfortable with this
because we have our hands on the reins.

Super-intelligence means that robots will have the ability to do what humans do. We focus so
much on the 'wow' factor. We enjoy the idea of robots catering to our every whim, but these
robots could be far more effective and productive than humans. We need to think about how
we want this to go and put safeguards into place to ensure that we remain in control, not AI.
Try this

• If you are in a job that could be automated in the future, start upgrading your skills and
thinking about new endeavors.
• Start a conversation with your friends and family about AI. More people need to be aware of
the subject and how it may affect us in the future.
• Explore the use of narrow AI in your home and work life and see where its use could make you
more productive.

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