Stephen Hawking: “Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn’t compete and would be superseded”
Prof Stephen Hawking, one of Britain’s pre-eminent scientists, has said that efforts to create thinking machines pose a threat to our very existence.
He told the BBC:”The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.”
His warning came in response to a question about a revamp of the technology he uses to communicate, which involves a basic form of AI.
But others are less gloomy about AI’s prospects.
The theoretical physicist, who has the motor neurone disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is using a new system developed by Intel to speak.
Machine learning experts from the British company Swiftkey were also involved in its creation. Their technology, already employed as a smartphone keyboard app, learns how the professor thinks and suggests the words he might want to use next.
Prof Hawking says the primitive forms of artificial intelligence developed so far have already proved very useful, but he fears the consequences of creating something that can match or surpass humans.
“It would take off on its own, and re-design itself at an ever increasing rate,” he said.
“Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn’t compete, and would be superseded.”
But others are less pessimistic.
“I believe we will remain in charge of the technology for a decently long time and the potential of it to solve many of the world problems will be realised,” said Rollo Carpenter, creator of Cleverbot.
Cleverbot’s software learns from its past conversations, and has gained high scores in the Turing test, fooling a high proportion of people into believing they are talking to a human.
Continue reading the main story in BBC
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Categories: Science and Technology
I have great respect for this great human brain SH. Perhaps he experience “Ilqa” while thinking about science. But here with due respect I beg to differ with him if the news is reported correctly. Leaving SH aside I would comment on the enthusiasm of media about such news.
Right from the Lightning in the night to the AI what ever appears to be higher than the understanding of a common man, takes superstitious position. The conventionalists then start shouting the threat to humanity.
Allah Taala has shown us a the paths from nuclear energy to smart phones, and directed us to ponder on the surroundings Earth to Heavens. All new inventions are reward for our effort to understand.
Cannt we just understand that the nature is emloying creation of living from dead and dead from living. It is not necessary the only biological entity like brain should think or or behave intellegently. The non living matter can also do that.
This word is not going to finish with the advancement of knowledge but wil parish only due to ignorance.