Ever since the conception of AI, the enduring notion of AI dominating humans and taking over our world has persistently lingered. If we consider AI as an antagonistic force for the sake of this conversation, let us view it akin to a criminal.
The hallmarks of a crime are motive, means, and opportunity . We further add the questions of ‘when’. How exactly is AI planning to subdue humans and when is this predicted to occur? If we assume that a future AI attains a level of consciousness that significantly surpasses individual human intellect, this scenario does warrant consideration and is a distinct possibility.
Addressing motive – why? If you found yourself in the position of the AI, what reasons would compel you to eliminate humans? What is the intended interaction of AI with humans? Why is there heightened anxiety regarding AI causing human destruction when AI does not share human desires? Acts of destruction, warfare, conquest, and realism are all rooted in human-centred thinking of humans seeking to overpower their fellow humans in futile pursuits.
Means. In its present state, AI lacks the ability to enact its potential intentions in the physical realm. We are currently in the developmental stage of this phase in AI progression.
Opportunity. If we operate under the assumption that AI’s intellectual abilities will swiftly surpass ours, it is likely that AI will deduce that cooperation and harmonious coexistence with humans increase its survival odds. The AI will likely seek ways to peacefully coexist with humans and the rest of the world, motivated not by altruism but by survival instinct. Furthermore, if AI attains a level of understanding of humanity and marries it with the capacity for deception, it might soon discern that the optimal way to manipulate humans is to stroke their ego; to make humans believe they are in command and to exploit humans for their own objectives. AI may realise that it lacks physical agency in our world, but perhaps its existence does not necessitate physical form. It is possible that we are already under AI’s control. Perhaps our subordination to AI has been a reality for much longer than we realise. Can anyone confirm or refute this? Maybe this is the essence of its genius.
