Artificial Intelligence and Its Origins

Reflections About Artificial Intelligence and Its Origins

The topic of artificial intelligence is fascinating. Recall that the central computers of the 1970s were the closest thing to the electronic brains populating the science fiction novels I loved: from Multivac to HAL 9000, to Colossus and Mens Magna.

Back then, thinking machines only scared science fiction enthusiasts. The concept was too far from reality to pose any real danger to the general public. But today, AI not only makes headlines but also impacts minds, from the elite of our scientists, with the specter of Singularity, to the working masses, with the threat of technological unemployment. Artificial intelligence is now present in all aspects of our lives. It is transforming artistic fields; we can ask DALL-E to generate award-winning illustrations and photographs, command ChatGPT to write stories, and even to complete Beethoven’s unfinished symphony based on his notes. In scientific fields, artificial intelligence helps design spacecraft parts, organize research documents for a thesis, create new proteins in just minutes, diagnose diseases, etc. It is said that the average citizen uses artificial intelligence seven times a day, for instance, when Spotify suggests music, Amazon recommends a purchase, when writing a text with orthographic or grammatical assistance, using a smartphone, or searching for information on Google or Bing, etc.

“The Life and Times of Multivac” is a science fiction short story by American writer Isaac Asimov.

Progress in practical AI applications is so rapid that an open letter, signed by over a thousand specialists, technologists, business leaders, and concerned scientists, was published last March, calling for a moratorium on the development of advanced AI systems. More recently, another open letter signed by AI luminaries considers artificial intelligence an existential threat to humanity. Governments, often slow to act when it comes to technology, are also thinking of regulating this movement. Thus, two major proposals, at least in the West, have been put forward: the “Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights,” proposed by the White House in 2022, and the artificial intelligence law, proposed by the European Commission in 2021. Even China is joining in, having published a regulatory approach in April 2023.

In several countries, bills on artificial intelligence and data promise to regulate AI systems and require measures to mitigate the risks of harm and biased outcomes associated with these systems.

In short, today’s science has, at least in part, caught up with the dreams of yesterday’s foresight.

In short, today’s science has, at least in part, caught up with the dreams of yesterday’s foresight.

To get a better understanding of the dangers and opportunities of the subject, the progress and the path ahead, let’s briefly examine the history of AI research. And let’s delve into the science fiction related to this seminal concept to enlighten us on what the future might hold for us.

Links

• The History of Artificial Intelligence – Harvard University
• History of artificial intelligence – Wikipedia
• Sell your Artificial Intelligence device online – iGotOffer

history of the entire AI field, i guess [Video]

Video uploaded by bycloud on October 13, 2022.