AI must be controlled by humans and not made autonomous: Report

Author Moonshot.news

Published on: 20/09/2021

Artificial intelligence technology is moving fast and our societies are already facing applications based on AI. “It is now urgent to think seriously about the downsides and risks that the broad application of AI is revealing.” An academic report stresses the importance of keeping human control over AI systems and that it should not be a goal for researchers to create completely autonomous AI systems.

The report is written by the Standing Committee of the One Hundred Year Study of Artificial Intelligence with representatives from universities around the world and called “Gathering Strengths, Gathering Storms”.

“In addition to regulating the most influential aspects of AI applications on society, governments need to look ahead to ensure the creation of informed communities,” researchers say. “Incorporating understanding of AI concepts and implications into K-12 education (from kindergarten to 12^th grade) is an example of a needed step to help prepare the next generation to live in and contribute to an equitable AI[1]infused world,” they add.

UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES 

However, the report stresses that the AI research community itself has a critical role to play, learning how to share important trends and findings with the public in informative and actionable ways, free of hype and clear about the dangers and unintended consequences along with the opportunities and benefits.

“AI researchers should also recognize that complete autonomy is not the eventual goal for AI systems. Our strength as a species comes from our ability to work together and accomplish more than any of us could alone.

LINES OF COMMUNICATION

”AI needs to be incorporated into that community-wide system, with clear lines of communication between human and automated decisionmakers. At the end of the day, the success of the field will be measured by how it has empowered all people, not by how efficiently machines devalue the very people we are trying to help.”

”Although the current state of AI technology is still far short of the field’s founding aspiration of recreating full human-like intelligence in machines, research and development teams are leveraging these advances and incorporating them into society-facing applications. It is now urgent to think seriously about the downsides and risks that the broad application of AI is revealing.”

DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD

The report says that the increasing capacity to automate decisions at scale is a double-edged sword.

“Intentional deepfakes or simply unaccountable algorithms making mission-critical recommendations can result in people being misled, discriminated against, and even physically harmed. Algorithms trained on historical data are disposed to reinforce and even exacerbate existing biases and inequalities.

”Whereas AI research has traditionally been the purview of computer scientists and researchers studying cognitive processes, it has become clear that all areas of human inquiry, especially the social sciences, need to be included in a broader conversation about the future of the field.”

The Committee comprises: Peter Stone, The University of Texas at Austin and Sony AI, Chair Russ Altman, Stanford University Erik Brynjolfsson, Stanford University Vincent Conitzer, Duke University and University of Oxford Mary L. Gray, Microsoft Research Barbara Grosz, Harvard University Ayanna Howard, The Ohio State University Percy Liang, Stanford University Patrick Lin, California Polytechnic State University James Manyika, McKinsey & Company Sheila McIlraith, University of Toronto Liz Sonenberg, The University of Melbourne Judy Wajcman, London School of Economics and The Alan Turing Institute.