AI enthusiasts place high hopes on technology, but realistic solutions remain elusive

Artificial intelligence enthusiasts are optimistic about the potential for the technology to address humanity's major challenges, such as conflicts and climate change. However, in reality, achieving these goals may be overly ambitious at present.

According to Michael Littman, a computer science professor at Brown University, the idea of AI restructuring entire sectors of the economy to solve complex problems is more of a fantasy than a practical approach. He emphasizes that AI is currently being utilized to enhance efficiency in specific areas where solutions are already being pursued, rather than offering sweeping fixes with the push of a button.

Despite the attention-grabbing titles and presence of tech giants at events like the South By Southwest festival, where AI's benefits are discussed, many discussions focus on more practical objectives, such as product promotion.

The concept of artificial general intelligence (AGI), capable of surpassing human intelligence and benefiting humanity, gained momentum with the success of technologies like ChatGPT from OpenAI. However, achieving AGI and integrating it into society is still a subject of debate and speculation.

Ben Goertzel, a scientist leading the SingularityNET Foundation, predicts the arrival of AGI within the next decade. He envisions AGI with attributes like compassion and empathy, integrated into human-like robots to ensure harmony between AI and humanity.

Despite the potential positive disruptions AI may bring, concerns about its impact persist. David Hanson, founder of Hanson Robotics, acknowledges the risks associated with AI but also suggests that AI could foster new forms of wisdom to improve human existence.

While AI is already demonstrating its utility in various applications, such as early warning systems for natural disasters, it still relies on human intervention and decision-making, particularly in addressing societal issues like inequality and pandemics. Rayid Ghani of Carnegie Mellon University emphasizes that AI can only be effective if humans choose to utilize it to address these challenges, acknowledging that many of these issues stem from human actions rather than AI itself.