Artificial intelligence (AI) is the ability of a machine, such as a computer, to simulate or duplicate human cognitive tasks. It allows robots to understand and make decisions, recognize signs and symbols, and converse with humans. It also helps power self-driving cars, analyze data for fraud detection, and identify new drugs.
AI has quickly become an integral part of daily life. It powers tools such as voice-controlled virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa, social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok, and streaming services such as Spotify and Deezer. It’s even helping scientists spot cancers in X-ray images, improve crop yields, and speed up diagnoses for patients.
As the technology advances, so does public concern. Many worry that AI will replace jobs and lead to economic inequality. Some experts, including computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton and Yann LeCun, a “godfather” of deep learning, fear that AI could cause the extinction of humans.
Others fear that AI is creating dangerous weapons and may be untrustworthy. Some AI developers have been accused of using data from the public to create biased information or discriminate against certain groups. This is often due to the fact that the AI models are trained on publicly available information, such as social media posts and comments. This has led to a number of ethical concerns.