The A.I. Challenge to the Free World

“Stephen Hawking, the renowned British physicist, brilliantly summarized the main problems associated with AI: ‘Whereas the short-term impact of AI depends on who controls it, the long-term impact depends on whether it can be controlled at all.'”

The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) will mark a turning point in the history of the human species. AI will not only lead to improvements in our daily lives and the way we interact with others; it is going to bring about dramatic societal upheavals—and force us finally to define our nature and determine what we are living for.

Most narratives about AI and politics are centered around election hacking, data surveillance and privacy issues, yet this focus disregards considering the new opportunities presented by AI. Most importantly, however, will be the global implications of the advent of AI. For the leading power of the twenty-first century will likely be the country with the most advanced AI technology. Furthermore, much of the social, political, cultural and economic power shifts of our era will be driven by the forthcoming technological revolution.

Big Brother Is Watching You

Stephen Hawking, the renowned British physicist, brilliantly summarized the main problems associated with AI: “Whereas the short-term impact of AI depends on who controls it, the long-term impact depends on whether it can be controlled at all.” Nevertheless, one of the primary challenges posed by AI lies much deeper. Instead of fearing rebellious AI that will someday supplant humans, we should be wary of AI that is always faithful to its creators.

AI algorithms, profoundly useful when in benign hands, can be very dangerous when used by malevolent actors. Imagine an authoritarian surveillance state that uses its omnipresent algorithms to control, monitor, and regulate the actions of its citizens. For instance, by using advanced AI-powered predictive analytics, such a system could predict the emergence of potential dissenters and quell any rebellion against future Big Brother in its infancy. In extreme cases, AI might mandate its citizens to wear biometric bracelets that monitor their internal biochemical processes. Combining this with analysis of social media activity and external actions, it might go under people’s skin and understand their thoughts and motivations. Furthermore, by regulating the flow of information in social networks, such types of AI might subtly change people’s perception of reality.