Jacob Peterson 1

Jacob Peterson

Ms. Torgerson

ELA 12

4/10/18

Should we limit Artificial Intelligence?

“Artificial intelligence can be more dangerous than nukes.” This is quite a provocative

and audacious statement made by Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk (1). Although it seems

absurd to think that artificial intelligence (A.I.) can cause such devastating destruction to

humanity such as a nuclear bomb, there is potential for this to happen. Many critics and scientists

say that the possibility of this happening is centuries from occurring, although, others argue that

the time to protect and regulate A.I. is now. As a result of this controversy, the question: “should

we limit artificial intelligence” is asked as possible federal regulations are discussed and as

research and development of A.I. is exponentially growing everyday.

As an avid computer enthusiast with extensive research in this particular field, I feel that

the time to regulate and limit A.I. is now. Without fair and just federal regulations to virtually

and physically restrict the specific advancements of artificial intelligence, there is the potential

for: job loss on an international scale, fleets of physically autonomous robots that maliciously

long power over humanity, and unethical, ill-intent use of automatic and seemingly infinite

intellectual power. So, that all sounds pretty horrifying, which merits all the more reason to

regulate and limit this virtual entity from becoming uncontrollable and ultimately unstoppable.

First, let’s define artificial intelligence. It is, simply put, the idea that the intelligence

displayed by humans can be modeled within a computer. Current A.I. technologies are not
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capable of modelling a human conscience, but that is not to say that there is no progression being

made towards achieving a virtual model of the human brain. Large technology corporations and

even small research businesses are investing large amounts of time and money into hiring

researchers and developers to advance this technology all while there is a complete lack of

regulation (CNBC 2). This is a major problem as without a limit, there is potential for

uncontrollable behaviour to emerge as these virtual intelligences learn and advance

autonomously rapidly which may ultimately lead to human replacement, insignificance, and

maybe even, our demise.

Artificial Intelligence has the possibility of creating a large increase in unemployment in

many places around the world. The article “Should artificial intelligence be regulated?”

published by the National Academy of Sciences states, “There is strong evidence that the cyber

revolution, beginning with the large-scale use of computers and now accelerated by the

introduction of stronger AI, is destroying many jobs: first blue-collar jobs (robots on the

assembly line), then white-collar ones (banks reducing their back office staff), and now

professional ones (legal research)” (Etzioni 3). As A.I. and automated machines continue to

advance, jobs originally performed by humans are disappearing in favor of a more cost-effective

replacement. The article then later references a statistic given by the Bureau of Labor Statistics

informing that about 1.1 million secretarial jobs, 500,000 jobs for accounting and auditing clerks,

and several thousand jobs for travel agencies and data entry positions have all disappeared within

the last decade. These very statistics demonstrate just how massive current A.I. and machine

technology have already changed the job market. These numbers will only increase and more

and more jobs will be victim to the more efficient and effective machine automation.
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If you have ever seen the movie “iRobot” or “Terminator” then you likely are familiar of

the classic sci-fi movie plot of robots attempting to overpower humanity, but eventually

humanity fights back and comes out on top. Although we know these to be fictional and

unrealistic at times, these scenarios are perfectly possible if we let A.I. advance too quickly and

unsafely. But this is impossible right? Well, current developments of A.I. may sound harmless

now as computers don’t have exactly have physical counterparts to their intellectual systems

such as using opposable thumbs or moving a pair of eyes… or do they? We have seen many

advancements in mechanical and autonomous robots as mountains of money are poured into the

research and development of automated systems. Although many of these investments are made

towards automating monotonous and mundane tasks typically executed by people in a warehouse

and such, there have been millions of dollars poured into the research and development

mechanically human-modeled robots such as the Honda ASIMO (New Atlas 4). In spite of the

premature and seemingly primitive technology that is emerging, A.I. is closer to occupying an

artificial body than we think.

AI has the potential to create minds of its own. Without limitation such as ‘Super

Intelligence Protocol’, AI has the ability to override instructions and create ill-intentioned AI’s of

its own. ‘Super Intelligence Protocols’ are instructions and rulesets that an AI must follow and

abide by for every task executed. Without this, a person may, for example, ask the AI to do

something malicious and the AI will follow without using a ‘moral compass’ of some sorts to

prevent it. There is another advanced concept of AI that is called machine learning. With the use

of the expanding and potentially indefinite advancements and training of machine learning, AI

can become rapidly intelligence at an uncontrollable pace. Machine learning is the concept of
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machines learning and training from simulations or previous actions to further its intelligent

status. This process can be modelled as the snowball effect. So machine learning is another

aspect of AI that can be potentially harmful.

There are many arguments that are against the limitations of A.I. as some may say that an

artificial intelligence apocalypse is impossible. These arguers may say that there is no need for

such discussion right now as research and development is slow and many journalists

overestimate the power and capability this technological revolution currently has. These people

are correct to some extent as technology progression as a whole is not very close to creating a

human conscience in a computer. Current research in the field of psychology and neuroscience is

quite comprehensive and progressed, but researchers still do not have a full understanding of

how the human brain functions (NYTimes 5). As a result of this lack of research and

understanding, advanced and autonomous systems are unlikely to “take over” in the near future.

Although understanding of the human brain is limited and research isn’t rapid, there is

still cause for concern. Primite A.I. systems exist already and although not nearly as advanced as

those machines featured in movies such as “iRobot” and “Terminator”, they still are learning and

training. With technology and specifically the internet, information and research is shared across

many different platforms with many different people. Research papers, lab results, test, and

studies are more available now more than ever on this seemingly infinite public and accessible

domain. As more and more studies are published and open source works are created, researchers

and developers can piece this information and past work together and make developing A.I.

system easier and quicker.

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One possible solution to limiting A.I. is to federally regulate this technology closely. The

article “Limiting the downsides of artificial intelligence” in the Financial Times states, “We

cannot uninvent scientific discovery. But we should, at least, do everything possible to restrain

its most immediate and obvious downsides” (FT 6). This article quote shows that researchers,

developers, and inventors will not uninvent what they have created. Discovery is inevitable and

so are mistakes. By limited the “immediate and obvious downsides” we can greatly lower the

risk attached with creating such advanced A.I. systems and the benefits would greatly impact our

society altogether.

Another solution to limiting A.I. is to prevent its research and development altogether.

Although an unpopular opinion, this would be a guaranteed way to prevent any harm or

downside from emerging out of A.I. machines. This would prevent the loss of millions of jobs

and completely prevent the development of malicious acts criminally using artificial intelligence

as an harmful tool. A possible way to prevent any efforts being put towards artificial intelligence,

the federal government may have to monitor research companies and their activities. This

solution would have many downsides and impeded the progression of technology, but would

keep us potentially safe.

In conclusion, artificial intelligence must be limited and discussions of its limitation

should take place now. With the power of discussion and collaboration, more problems can be

solved with creative, fair, and just solutions. A.I. is a very powerful tool with only more room to

be useful and with proper limitations, humanity can potentially be happier, healthier and more

civilized.
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Works Cited

(1) Augenbraun, Eliene. “Elon Musk: Artificial Intelligence May Be ‘More Dangerous than

Nukes.’” ​CBS News​, CBS Interactive, 4 Aug. 2014,

www.cbsnews.com/news/elon-musk-artificial-intelligence-may-be-more-dangerous-than-

nukes/.

(2) Novet, Jordan. “Google Will Invest in AI Startups and Send Its Engineers to Help Them out

for up to a Year.” ​CNBC​, CNBC, 14 July 2017,

www.cnbc.com/2017/07/10/google-launches-gradient-ventures-to-invest-in-a-i-start-ups.

html.

(3) Etzioni, Amitai, and Oren Etzioni. "Should artificial intelligence be regulated?" ​Issues in

Science and Technology​, vol. 33, no. 4, 2017, p. 32+. ​Science In Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A499863892/SCIC?u=pioneer&sid=SCIC&xid=acd9

c26e. Accessed 5 May 2018.

(4) Robarts, Stu. “Honda's New ASIMO Robot Is All Grown Up.” ​New Atlas - New Technology

& Science News​, New Atlas, 16 July 2014,

newatlas.com/new-honda-asimo-robot/32977/.

(5) Gorman, James. “Learning How Little We Know About the Brain.” ​The New York Times​,

The New York Times, 10 Nov. 2014,

(6) “Limiting the Downsides of Artificial Intelligence.” ​Financial Times​, Financial Times, 22

Feb. 2018, www.ft.com/content/6290297c-17c0-11e8-9376-4a6390addb44.