One of the godfathers of artificial intelligence (AI), Professor Yann LeCun, has refuted fears that AI would take over the world and permanently eliminate employment.
According to Prof. LeCun, AI systems that outperform human intellect are still years away. He downplayed fears about AI taking over the world, calling them a projection of human nature onto technology. He cautioned against unduly limiting AI research.
Prof. LeCun also addressed AI safety concerns, blaming them on a lack of innovation in security solutions. He compared it to the creation of safe turbojets in the 1930s. He goes on to explain that while AI may eventually surpass human intelligence, it will take years, if not decades, and the idea of super-intelligent machines taking over the world immediately is ludicrous.
Prof. LeCun went on to say that while AI would not permanently replace many occupations, work responsibilities will shift in unpredictable ways. He sees AI as a catalyst for a new renaissance for mankind, analogous to the internet’s or the printing press’s transformational impact. Prof. LeCun proposed specific restrictions for each AI application to meet concerns raised by European AI start-ups.
The sources for this piece include an article in BBC.
