Is Artificial Intelligence a Scientific Achievement of Humanity?

Is Artificial Intelligence a scientific achievement of humanity? Well, according to Open AI CEO Sam Altman, it is. His company developed ChatGPT, a free AI assistant that helps human beings with writing, learning, brainstorming, and other conversational tasks. In a Fox Business 2024 video interview with Charles Payne, Altman discussed the advantages, disadvantages, and ethical implications of using Artificial Intelligence (AI). These three areas have broad implications for the future of humanity.

Altman indicated that a disadvantage of expanding AI is the elimination of traditional jobs that humans usually do. He added that although many people will lose their jobs, many new sector jobs will be developed to employ people. The advantage of AI is that humans will work less labor-intensive jobs, which will decrease physically demanding ones. AI will take on the most stressful types of employment, freeing us to do more enjoyable tasks. I agree with Altman’s assessment because in every new age of human development, advancements in technology arguably decreased out physical workload. As Altman surmised, many jobs will be lost in the short run, but other technology centered professions will be created due to the advancement of AI.

There are tremendous ethical issues that affect the use of AI. These issues include, but are not limited to, job displacement, AI bias, misinformation, privacy rights of humans, inappropriate usage of copyright data, the illegal acquisition of personal data without informed consent, and violations of intellectual property rights.

One issue that is of great concern to people is job displacement. Because we know that jobs will be lost due to AI technology, we should prepare ourselves for this change. People will need to now pivot and learn new skills and develop untapped human talents that AI cannot do. Artificial Intelligence represents a new Glided Age of Technology in which technology developed by humans leads the way to a more streamlined economy. In other words, humans will begin to work smarter, not harder, while AI machinery managed by human intellect literally does the heavy lifting.

Another ethical concern centers on AI bias, especially those that are racially based. AI does not inherently possess bias, but those who program it do have their own biases that affect how AI is programmed. We must be aware of how our own inherit bias as humans negatively affects the outcome of AI’s decision-making outcomes. The training and hiring of technology experts from diverse backgrounds will help decrease implicit biases that may exist in AI technology decision-making outcomes.

As I previously emphasized, Artificial Intelligence is a scientific achievement of humanity, but it is not the end of humanity. Our innate free will enables us to control any pitfalls that might occur because of using AI. I contend that Artificial Intelligence will never replace human beings because it is artificial, not real intelligence. Humans are the real thing. We must always remember that we are in the driver’s seat of what AI can and cannot do. We hold the keys as to how far it can go.

Ethically Speaking,

Obiora N. Anekwe