Robotics are becoming a major factor of the workplace, the military and the home. With the massive advancement of robot tools in recent years, many are scared of both robots and AI. Don’t fret, though, as one of the UK’s leading Robotics experts believes your fears are baseless.
UK’s Robotics expert says humanity shouldn’t be scared
In recent years, robotic advancement has seen AI become tied to weaponised robots, create political deepfakes and help rob banks. With all of the negativity surrounding new AI and robotic tools, there’s a reason why many are wary.
However, via Sky News, chief executive of the National Robotarium, Stewart Miller, believes those fears should be forgotten about. Despite humanity being cautious about the upcoming wave of robotics, it’ll happen whether they like it or not.
“Inevitably there will be more robots in everybody's life,” Miller said. “They'll be helping you at home, when you go out shopping, when you go to a hotel, they'll be involved in hospitality, when you go to a theatre, everything. And in your working life."
Miller explained that humanity’s fear that intelligent AI will destroy us is ridiculous. The robotics expert believes that since humanity sets the safeguards, Al can’t be dangerous.
“The thing to remembers is that we, the humans, are in control. We decide how far it goes and doesn't go,” He said. "A lot of people already working on making sure the software sitting behind AI has safeguards built into it, to make sure that, particularly when it's running on a robotic platform, it can't do any harm or at least we make sure it does as minimal harm as we possibly can. So those kind of safeguards will be built in by the engineers.
Read More: Humanity was destined to break Asimov’s Rules of Robotics
Don’t fear the Artificial Reaper
Miller’s thoughts are in direct opposition of recent thoughts from AI scientists. In a recent study, it was revealed that over a third of active AI scientists believe the technology is dangerous enough to end the world.
However, Miller believes that mankind is more likely to use AI for good than for nefarious purposes. This is despite the fact that companies like Google and Meta are ignoring the pleas of AI ethics experts and the fact that AI is being used for predictive warfare in the US military.
“We will have to put safeguards in place and make sure we have good controls around it, because it [artificial intelligence] is a very powerful technology,” Miller said. “But I think it has more to bring that will be good, than we have to worry about."
Of course, current-gen AI isn’t what mankind is worried about. While modern artificial intelligence is stealing artwork and replacing jobs, is worrisome, it’s artificial general AI bat will prove intensely troublesome.