Artificial Intelligence (AI) is sweeping the world. Its techniques have permeated into in all spheres of human activities and in the process keep achieving stupendous strides in tackling difficult problems and spurring applications in many new areas as well. Responses to remarkable developments of AI, its techniques and applications have spurred existential fear on the one hand, and on the other unbridled optimism. AI-related techniques open up a plethora of ethical considerations and ontological question about what do we mean ‘intelligence’.
Intelligence is described as the ability to apply knowledge to manipulate one’s environment. If we stretch it or elaborate a bit human intelligence is the intellectual power of human. Hence, human intelligence is the intellectual power of humans endowed with the capacity for learning or the ability to learn or understand or to deal with new or trying situation. Human intellect has the capacity, for learning, reasoning, understanding, any form of activity. While on the other, when we talk about supreme intelligence it possesses a seemingly immeasurable intellect, with vast knowledge far surpassing time and space. Would this attribute apply to AI?
It is believed that the supreme intelligence is none other than artificial intelligence wherein the former ruler of the Kree Empire, that embodies the empires greatest minds. However, at one point, fiction movies have brought a number of characters that embodied artificial intelligence. Now the tussle is between human intelligence and giant machines such as AI. There are a few believe that AI seem to be endowed with ‘supreme intelligence’, which means that AI’s intellectual power seem to have surpassed humans. Did AI outclassed humans? Or how to explain the ways in which AI is churning the world we live. The experts of technology especially those engaged in AI say that the future belongs to AI, while others ‘warn’.
If we agree to the fact that the future of humans will undoubtedly be influenced and controlled by AI, if this is going to be the reality of the futures of humans, what then will be the role of humans? If this is the scenarios of human futures, then it is obvious that AI would become a demi-god, leading to all sorts of speculations. Would AI phenomenon lead to the death of God? Or would it assume the paramountcy than any absolute or ultimate vis-à-vis God-factor?For these questions, we have convergent and divergent views. Nonetheless emergence of AI has come on ‘par’ with the God who we worship and adore with all kinds superlative and adjective.
Usage of diverse attributes Alpha and Omega, Omniscient, Omnipresent, and Omnipotent candidly denotesthe meaning of the Beginning and the End; All-Knowing (Foundation of knowledge with infinity (Immeasurable), Present Everywhere, and All-Powerful are under serious scrutiny, and intense contestation. The question that is raised and dominates in the minds of Christians is: Has AI displaced or replaced God who we adore as the Savior and Redeemer. As of now, AI is considered as all-knowing and all-saving technology for the present and the future of humanity. It has all the potential to save the world from many things.
Theologically and biblically, we believe that All-knowing God who is the Supreme Intelligence, the Origin and Giver of Wisdom and Knowledge shall never be compared to AIbecause it is just a machine and certainly not human. Humans who have been created in God’s image with discerning capacity to know what is ‘good’ and ‘bad’, ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ should come to the basic fact that God is our Creator. Though AI has undoubtedly made a significant breakthrough in technological applications, it is at the same time is posing worrisome future.
The most vital and challenging for the humanity at present is AI – computation of many areas, features and functions, seem to have come on par with human intelligence or some say more than humans. Some of scientists who were behind in the creation of have been disappointed. There are people who are confident envision that AI would be instrumental in eliminating imperfections that have seeped into humankind. While others say that the humanity is in existential crisis because of the exponential growth of AI that have permeated in most of the areas. As years go by,AI would pervade into all areas of human exitance.
At this juncture, we are pondering over whether AI can be compared with a monster or Frankenstein,a creation of ours, if left unchecked or unregulated there are possibilitiesthat it would destroys humans. Experts and regulators are seriously thinking about proposing a set of guidelines to monitor and regulate AI in effective ways. These are machines and on their own cannot control and regulate. This is why we need rules and laws that are to be framed,so that those corporations involved in the manufacturing of AIs will be conscious of the repercussions. AIs will have to be regulated based on a set of ethical principles echoing and reflecting relational responsibility and common futures of humanity.
The reason being, Is AI neutral, without any bias and prejudice? Can AI make any decision or judge a situation on its own and in just ways? AI is programmed and simulated, and thus respond accordingly. We as human beings are endowed with intellect to critically and creatively think about ourselves and the world around us, and have the ability to transform. More importantly, when we say and confess that the God who we worship is our Creator, the Fountain of Supreme Intelligence and Wisdom from where knowledge and wisdom flows, then, the notion of God assumes absoluteness and thus becomes the ultimate.
It is said that ‘artificial intelligence leverages computers and machines to mimic the problem-solving and decision-making processes of the human-mind’, but shall never realize the purpose and fulfillment of life that humans have, and to be clothed with all sorts of human emotions. AI is just a machine and human-driven, and so, has no aura and sense of being and becoming. The awareness that humans, a sense of pride we derive through our expression and communication within and across linking our thoughts with another and reaching and realizing the end-product – that helps in emptying the subconscious and thus offering healing. AI is just a machine, devoid of any feeling and emotions.
AI is dependent on human being, but what’s happening now is human beings are becoming too-dependent on AI, and so this dependency syndrome makes some to say who tend to give too much of credence to these big machines. With the advent of AI, we as humans are negating our responsibility to control the growing menace of this Artificial Intelligence. In this way, AI is somehow depriving the human sensibilities and capabilities to think about the present and beyond. We are given the utmost primacy and responsibility in the biblical ‘creation narrative’.
AI is the product of acquired knowledge transferred from the human mind. We need to regulate the mind of AI, which is nothing but an acquired knowledge and so, AI should never assume as if it has surpassed ‘supreme intelligence’. We should bear in mind that the real humane qualities failing which it can prove disastrous. The positives of AI will have to trickle down to all people, and not to select people who have inflated egos. We will have to be watchful and mindful of AI progress in all aspects of human activities, because AI has the other side which is dangerous and disastrous.
Dr. John Mohan Razu
Nagaland Post Launch on 30 Dec 1990 is the first and fore-most english daily newspaper of Nagaland.
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