Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing almost every industry: technology, healthcare, financial services, government, military, agriculture, gaming, media, marketing and retail. From chatbots and smart assistants, to robotic vacuum cleaners and self-driving vehicles, humans interact with AI on a regular basis.
As artificial intelligence increases in sophistication and capability, many positive advances are being made. But unfortunately, powerful new technology always comes with a risk. For example, AI systems could gain unanticipated powers if allowed to write their own computer code.
Scientists and technology experts from Stephen Hawking to Elon Musk have argued that artificial intelligence poses serious dangers. So, what are some of the risks we face from AI?
- Job Automation and Replacement
- Security and Privacy Concerns
- Deepfakes and Disinformation
- AI Malware
- Autonomous Weapons
- Loss of Control
We’ve all heard about the dangers of artificial intelligence, but what about the good it can do? AI systems are proving to be increasingly beneficial in real-world applications. So, what are some of the practical uses of AI?
- Scaling existing algorithms to work with extremely large data sets.
- Developing deep learning models for various domains such as computer vision, natural language processing, and robotics.
- Designing machine learning methods for complex and dynamic environments.
- Creating collaborative AI systems that can interact with humans and other agents.
- Leveraging crowdsourcing and human computation with AI and machine learning algorithms for data collection and annotation.
- Exploring AI innovations in various industries such as healthcare, call centers, defense, and education.
- Applying AI technology to boost scientific advancements for curing diseases, weather forecasting, and living on other planets.
If you’re looking to start a career working with artificial intelligence, it’s important to make sure you have the right skills. Get a bachelor’s degree in a related field such as mathematics, computer science, information technology, or statistics. AI professionals need to master a combination of technical and analytical skills including computer programming and applied mathematics, problem solving and critical thinking. If these are qualities that you possess, and you are interested in shaping the future of AI while helping to keep it from being misused, consider one of the following STEM careers:
- Artificial Intelligence Engineer
- Machine Learning Engineer
- Natural Language Processing Engineer
- Robotics Engineer
- Data Analyst
- Big Data Architect
- Software Engineer
- Research Scientist
- Algorithm Developer
- Business Intelligence Developer
- User Experience Designer
- Computer Vision Engineer
There will continue to be ongoing research and debate into AI systems and their uses by AI professionals and other stakeholders, requiring industry knowledge and communication. People need to look beyond just the technical aspects of AI and pay attention to its social, cultural, political, and economic impacts. Mitigating the dangers will probably require comprehensive legislation and regulation to ensure that safeguards are in place regarding future technological developments in artificial intelligence.