For better or for worse, AI is here to stay but where exactly is it headed?
Artificial intelligence (AI) has captured people’s imagination for many years now, becoming a source of debate and fascination in the tech world due to its futuristic and disruptive nature, as well as the aura of mystery shrouding it. The idea that machines could replicate human intelligence is both frightening and awe-inspiring, and many people find themselves torn between hope and concern on the topic.
Some predict that machine learning is one day going to outmatch people and lead to dystopian scenarios while others highlight the benefits that AI provides and reject the notion that it could pose an ominous threat.
Regardless of stance or perspective, the hype and excitement surrounding AI, although somewhat exaggerated, is not unfounded. What was once regarded as a Sci-Fi concept has turned into a thriving market estimated at a whopping $207.9 billion in 2023 and expected to reach $738 billion by 2030.
AI is evolving at an unprecedented rate, becoming increasingly powerful and gradually making its way into every aspect of our lives. Major companies are pouring big money into AI research and development, while initiatives like AutoGPT GitHub are already making AI capabilities accessible to everyone and pushing the boundaries of this innovative technology.
But how far has AI come exactly and how much further can it go? As we keep track of AI’s shapeshifting journey and the impact it has on our world, we need to know what this cutting-edge technology is actually capable of at the moment and what levels it could reach in the future.
Measuring AI’s intelligence
Given AI’s transformative force and the numerous AI-powered tools and solutions that have emerged over the past few years, it’s natural to assume we’re dealing with a highly intelligent creation. After all, it’s got the term “intelligence” in the name. There’s no denying that at the surface level, AI seems incredibly smart.
AI systems have the ability to amass large datasets, using powerful algorithms to analyze data, recognize patterns and correlations, and apply what they’ve learned to adapt and improve their performance over time. The technology is growing more complex and sophisticated by the day and is already performing many tasks more efficiently than its human counterparts. For example, AI can easily beat even top-rated champions at strategy games like chess, learn a language much faster than any person ever could, and even write academic papers with great accuracy.
But does that make AI smarter than humans? Although many still believe that AI’s intelligence knows no bounds, there are certain limitations that one has to take into account when assessing its artificial intellect. First of all, if we break down AI into its component parts, all we get is a set of algorithms devised and programmed by humans. This proves that AI is not able to think or act independently, but is merely following some instructions. Despite the vast amount of information it can assimilate and process, AI remains incapable of making decisions on its own.
AI systems are also characterized by the absence of common sense which prevents them from accurately interpreting and understanding the world in which they operate. They can’t perceive or decipher the subtleties of life and human nature and that makes them respond inappropriately in new and unforeseen situations. Without common sense, AI systems can’t act autonomously.
Finally, AI is limited to the data input it receives from its human creators. Its intelligence is therefore determined by the quantity and quality of that data. As we all know, humans are not infallible and the AI systems they develop will reflect their errors, shortcomings and limitations.
Because of all these aspects, for the time being, the only thing that AI is capable of is to simulate human intelligence, but it cannot fully replicate it. It can be argued that AI simply has a different type of intelligence than humans, one that doesn’t involve emotional awareness and consciousness. Whether that makes it unworthy of wearing the “intelligent” label is up for debate.
Reaching the next frontier
The consensus on AI is that despite its amazing potential and promise, it hasn’t reached human-like intelligence, also known as artificial general intelligence (AGI) in technical terms. But is it possible for AI to develop the same cognitive skills that humans possess at some point in the future? Opinions are divided in this respect.
Professor Paul Formosa, the Head of the Department of Philosophy at Macquarie University, believes that AI could achieve AGI if given enough time to absorb a sufficient amount of data and create the necessary connections, but that does not necessarily imply it’s also going to grow a consciousness. Instead, AI will likely exhibit a functional intelligence that will enable it to do everything humans do without having an emotional dimension.
Christina Maher, a biomedical engineer and neuroscientist at the Brain and Mind Centre at the University of Sydney, has an even more optimistic stance, claiming that if people have the capacity to build a sense of self and learn critical reasoning through their life experiences and the interactions with the surrounding environment, the same thing might be possible for AI.
Dana Rezazadegan, lecturer of AI and Data Science from Swinburne University of Technology, is convinced that advancements in quantum computing can help AI overcome its current limitations. When that happens, AI will finally be able to develop traits like creativity, intuition and emotional awareness that are typical to humans.
Final thoughts
AI has undergone remarkable advancements since its inception and it continues to reach new milestones with a speed that defies all expectations, stirring both anticipation and fear. And yet, ironically enough, when it comes to AI’s future, we have more questions than answers. If we consider emotional intelligence the benchmark for becoming human-like, this is something that AI may never achieve. But since AI is still a work in progress and we’ve only begun to scratch the surface of its power, one can’t overrule any possibility regarding its future.
