We’re living in an age where artificial intelligence (A.I.) is playing a larger role in our lives than ever before, yet there are plenty of myths and
misconceptions floating around.
So, what the heck is really going on?
Today, we’re going to explore some of the common myths about A.I., and bust them up so we can all come away with a bit more knowledge on what is (and what isn’t) going on with A.I. these days.
Let’s dive in!
Myth #1: A.I. Will Take Our Jobs
Let’s start with the big worry on a lot of folks’ minds right now. People losing jobs to machines.
To be fair, this concern isn’t coming out of nowhere. For over a century, automation (for example in the auto industry) has greatly impacted and, in some cases, even destroyed certain jobs.
If machines can do our work faster than us, for zero pay, and never need time off to take their kids to the dentist, then what chance do we have?
Well, the myth here assumes that A.I. can do our jobs on their own.
In reality, A.I. can only do certain parts of certain jobs – and, even then, they need people to help out in lots of ways.
As A.I. gets more powerful, no question, it’s going to change how we do many jobs. It’ll make certain mundane tasks easier, quicker to accomplish. But it’s not going to take over the whole job market anytime soon.
Take data analysis, for example.
A.I. can hunt through millions of data points to find key information at lightning speed, way faster than a person. But A.I. doesn’t understand why it’s looking. Or what any of it means. Or even what to do with all the stuff it finds.
It’s like a dog hunting for truffles.
The furry little fella can find truffles quicker than a human can – but only a human knows how to shave those truffles up and sprinkle them over a nice parsnip and brioche pudding.
Myth #2: A.I. Will Take Over the World
As we discussed in our earlier post on artificial intelligence, A.I. doesn’t really think for itself. It can accept input and then churn out some kind of output, but it doesn’t understand what any of it means.
And, on the occasions when A.I. is actually programmed to remember something, it has a really short memory. This severely limits its potential for growth.
In order for A.I. to take over anything, it’s going to need to understand what that thing even is, and why it’s worth taking over. A.I. would also need to become self-aware, so it can tell the difference between itself and… everything else.
And to say we’re not “there” yet is really underselling it.
Despite all the hype surrounding A.I., the truth is, creating super-intelligent self-aware machines requires a level of technology we’re not even close to reaching yet.
Not only that, but there’s a real possibility that A.I. will never become self-aware.
Which is either a scientific tragedy, or a big old comfort – depending how you look at it.
Myth #3: A.I. is Objective and Unbiased
Because we think of machines as dealing in facts, just the facts, it’s easy to see why many folks assume A.I. will result in fair, objective, and unbiased systems – like a bunch of Mr. Spocks walking around, making the world a better place.
Sadly, this isn’t how it works.
A.I. algorithms are created by people. And people are flawed. Even without trying, programmers can bring their own biases and worldviews into the work they’re doing.
Not only that, but A.I. systems are often trained on data sets that may themselves be biased, which just makes the problem worse.
A.I.’s ability to set an example for the rest of us is sadly limited by that old saying: “Garbage in, garbage out.”
A.I. Literacy
A.I. is no longer just in sci-fi summer movies. It’s here now. Still, that doesn’t mean the movies got it right.
There are a lot of myths and misunderstandings floating around. But if we build up our knowledge of the facts (building up our “A.I. Literacy”), then we can make informed decisions during this wild new chapter in business and technology.
Stay Ahead of the Game
It’s an exciting time, but it can also be a little overwhelming. Even the most seasoned business leaders may find themselves struggling to keep up with the latest advances and trends.
That’s where Smart Link Solutions comes in.
We’re keeping a close eye on all tech innovations as they relate to digital marketing.
Whether you’re looking to improve your website’s ranking or develop a more effective content marketing strategy, we can help your business stay ahead of the game with our expert service.
To learn more about how we can help your business succeed in an ever-changing digital world, contact us today!