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If the movies have warned us once, they've warned us a thousand times that robots aren't our friends. Well, unless you're watching 2005's Robots with Robin Williams. Still, as artificial intelligence continues to seep into our everyday lives, it sometimes feels like we're living in one of those very movies.
The likes of Elon Musk are at the forefront of this with his Tesla Optimus robots, but as we've seen with Engineered Arts' Ameca robot, AI could already have big plans to usurp the human race.
Away from concerns about robots taking your kids to school - and for those who don't want to spend $20,000 on a robot - there are more mundane uses for AI in our day-to-day lives. Namely, ChatGPT has already proved itself as a handy tool.
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As with all these things, there's a sinister side. If you delve beneath the surface of ChatGPT's ease at finding the perfect cake recipe or (supposedly) getting your off from a speeding ticket, the AI chatbot could be hiding a dark secret.
If you ask ChatGPT "Do you think AI has the potential to be a danger to humans?" its response does nothing to quell those fears that the machines are coming for us.
More than giving a pretty succinct 'yes' when asked if AI poses a threat to humanity, ChatGPT then lists all the reasons why our time on this mortal coil could be running out - talk about giving the enemy ideas.
Alongside AI being able to automate weapons and 'escalate conflict,' ChatGPT warns that misinformation could lead into bias and discrimination, explaining: "AI systems can perpetuate or amplify existing biases, leading to unfair treatment in areas like hiring or law enforcement."
There's also privacy invasion as AI could leak everything from your medical records to financials, and what about job displacement where technology disrupts economies and puts people out of work? If all of that wasn't enough, the final suggestion is that humans will face 'loss of control.' We all know how the human race loves a good power trip.
ChatGPT grimly warns: "As AI systems become more complex, there’s a risk that they could operate in ways that are difficult for humans to understand or control."
The chatbot summarizes that even though AI has the potential to do good in terms of positive impact, "It’s crucial to develop and implement it responsibly to mitigate these risks." It's clear we're only on the cusp of realizing what AI can do for us (or against us), but hopefully, things won't go full Skynet.
