The world is dangeroulsy unprepared for the disruption that, artificial intelligence will bring, according to Bill Gates’ warning on Wendessday. The technology will kill jobs and jeopardize human connections, particulalry for young people.
The Microsoft co-founder said that the transition to the AI era will be one of the most chaotic times in human history and that no one has created a workable plan for handling it in a roughly 6,000-word essay that was posted on his blog.
Many in Silicon Valley and the Trump administration will strongly oppose his position, accusing some tech leaders of having “doomer” views that have damaged the AI revolution’s credibility.
The 70-year-old Gates, who currently serves as chair of the philanthropic foundation bearing his name, stated, “AI will eiher be the greatest equalizer ever invented, or the worst source of injustice”.
Gates stated, “There is no plan to ease the entry into the AI era”, though he would probably support one if one did exist.
But I don’t believe that will occur. He cautioned that the economic and geopolitical forces are pressing too hard to move forward at full speed.
According to Gates, the rapid application of AI poses three major hazards.
The first is the irreversible loss of jobs. Comparisions to the move form farm work to office work, according to Gates, were inaccurate because it took decades and resulted in occupations that still required human thoughts.
He cautioned that in around ten years, AI will replace human thought in the fields of law, medical, customer service, software and manufacturing.
According to Gates, entry-level and mid-level jobs are the most vulnerable, leaving young people entering a labor market with significantly fewer opportunities.
As robots grow more affordable, blue-collar jobs will follow, and by the end of the decade, the construction and hospitality industries will be under pressure.
Even if AI can perform some tasks more effectively and affordably, Gates argued that some jobs should be reserved for humans.
The second danger is that AI gives bad actors greater powers.
According to him, electricity grids, water systems, hospitals and banks are all vulnerable.
Children and interpersonal connections are the third area of risk.
According to research cited by Gates, AI chatbots that never test or annoy users run the risk of becoming hooked and depriving people of the opportunity to develop socila skills.
He said that AI bots “rob us of the lessions we learn from connecting with other people”.
Gates said that investment earnings will go to his foundation, which intends to spend its remaining $200 billion over the next 20 years, acknowledging that he still has strong financial links to the technology sector.
The article was written months after Gates told legislators in June that his relationship with the late sexual offender Jeffry Epstine was “a grave error in judgement” during an appearance with the House Oversight Committee.
SOURCE: DAWN NEWS
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