Is It Safe To Use AI?
September 23, 2023
Artificial Intelligence (AI), a buzzword that has become common as dust in our daily lives and yet remains as fascinating as a new sunrise. The way AI is transforming every realm of our lives, from businesses to personal usage, invokes both awe and alarm. Whether it’s driving our cars, personalizing our advertisements, or even writing articles like this one, AI has become an integral part of our lives. The debate is no longer about whether AI should be used; it has transcended to the appropriateness and impact of AI in our daily realms. A vital question that follows the spiraling growth and subsequent acceptance of AI is “Is AI safe?”
This article aims to answer this question and delve into different perspectives arising from the use of AI in various scenarios. The content of this blog is guided by insights from credible sources and objective evaluations to comprehend the limitations and possibilities about AI's safety.
What Is AI
The simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, particularly computer systems, namely as artificial intelligence (AI). AI is frequently just one component of AI, such as machine learning, which provides the foundation for designing and training machine learning algorithms.
AI systems mostly work by consuming large volumes of labeled training data, analyzing the data for correlations and patterns, and using these patterns to forecast future states. Learning, reasoning, and self-correction are the three cognitive processes that AI programming focuses on.
Using AI For Personal and Professional Causes: Benefits and Risks
The use of AI in personal and professional scenarios has drastically evolved over the past few years. With AI offering multifaceted benefits, it has become an integral part of an array of procedures, from detecting skin cancers to composing music. For an industry that was estimated to more than triple to $1.2 trillion by the end of 2018, up 70% from the previous year, it's clear that AI is here to stay.
However, like any tool, how we wield it can lead to vastly different outcomes. AI is neither inherently good nor bad; the impact it has on society depends upon how it is adjusted and used.
Citing an excerpt from the source GetGenie, AI-driven actions include:
- SEO Optimization & Improved Business Procedures: Predictive AI-powered Score enables you to optimize your on-page SEO and rank better on search results. This not only improves your WooCommerce store but also aids in generating conversion-friendly content. AI also helps analyze gaps in your content to help you outrank competitors in search result pages.
- Automating Mundane Tasks: From generating a basic ad copy based on a brief product description to executing email marketing strategies, AI is accelerating countless business procedures and saving invaluable time.
- Enabling Better Communication: AI chat tools provide seamless interaction across numerous platforms, offering an unhindered flow of communication.
However, the extensive adoption of AI has brought several potential risks to the forefront. Interestingly, while some people fear that AI will ‘take over the world,’ a more immediate concern most businesses have is about transparency and ethics. According to an article in Forbes, the most prominent risks of using AI include:
- Opacity Issues: AI systems, particularly deep learning models, can be complex and difficult to interpret, leading to potential transparency issues.
- Bias Propagation: AI systems, if not trained correctly, can indirectly perpetuate societal biases. This can lead to discriminatory practices and fairness issues.
- Data Privacy: AI-based technologies extensively collect personal data. While necessary for the functioning of the AI, data privacy breaches pose severe threats to users.
- Security Risks: With increasing AI sophistication, the potential for misuse increases parallelly. Malicious actors can leverage AI power for developing advanced cyberattacks and bypassing security measures.
Despite the risks that AI brings, a solution doesn't lie in completely avoiding the technology; instead, it entails utilizing it wisely, ensuring complete transparency in the functioning of AI models and strict observance of data safety protocols.
Trustworthy AI
A fundamental requirement to trust a technology is providing concrete evidence of its efficacy in different circumstances. In the case of AI, algorithms and mathematical proofs can be utilized to assure safe usage. By consulting scholars across fields such as AI ethics, social sciences, engineers, philosophers, we can gain a comprehensive understanding of AI's functionality and thereby ensure its trustworthiness. Most importantly, the trustworthiness of an AI tool is highly context-dependent – the same AI that is safe to use in one context might be dangerous in another.
Caltech's Faculty, in their articles on trustworthy AI, provides vital insights in this regard. For instance, an AI used to navigate a drone to a stable landing could be mathematically proven to be robust, but the same cannot be said for a self-driving car due to the unpredictable nature of roads.
AI needs to be robust and capable of withstanding noise or imperfections in the data it collects. On the flip side, when AI is used in social constructs such as criminal justice systems, it requires a stringent check on fairness. Essentially, AI tools must be able to replicate the worldview and human understanding we expect in these sensitive applications.
AI Chat-bots
With AI chat-bots becoming increasingly popular, it is essential to understand their safety in usage within customer service, answering queries, and even generating creative content. An article on LinkedIn enlists crucial risks associated with AI chat-bots:
- Misinformation: A poorly programmed AI chat-bot can end up providing incorrect or misleading information. It is detrimental, especially if the bot is programmed to provide vital input such as medical advice.
- Bias: If not carefully programmed, AI bots may exhibit biases against certain groups of people, leading to discrimination.
- Hacking & Data Privacy: Along with substantial data collection, AI chat-bots, like any other digital tool, are also prone to hacking. This can lead to leakage of sensitive information and privacy breaches.
To counter these disadvantages, it is important to conduct proper research, use the bot responsibly, and stay aware of potential risks.
AI Content Generated For Websites
AI-generated content has been quite dominant in the writing world for a considerable time now. From generating articles from scratch to delivering creative pieces, AI has presented us with superior efficiency. The Data Scientist presents us with observant insights on the possible dangers of using AI for content generation:
- Plagiarism: AI, currently, cannot generate out-of-the-box ideas beyond its existing data. There is a possible risk of even high-quality AI tools producing similar content patterns repetitively, leading to plagiarism.
- Lack of Creativity: AI-generated content is more or less a representation of known patterns. Hence, extensive AI-driven content may become monotonous, driving away readers due to lack of novelty.
- Robotic Expression: AI lacks the capability to incorporate emotion into the content. While it can churn out objective pieces efficiently, readers often seek emotion and personal perspective in cases of politically or socially inclined articles. AI's objectivity may repel readers.
To safely use AI for content, utilize the AI for ideas and outlines, and deploy AI helpers for paraphrasing and other processes rather than creating the content entirely.
Conclusion
While AI is revolutionizing numerous facets of our lives immensely, it brings several possible risks in tow. It is essential to stay equipped with knowledge and understanding about AI's workings, pros, cons, and safety measures before deploying it. It also emphasizes the importance of comprehensive testing, mitigation strategies, and maintaining a balance between human input and AI-intervention. By staying informed and proactive, we can harness the power of AI while minimizing the risks involved.