Human civilization has evolved alongside the evolution of tools, and the recent rise of artificial intelligence has brought us to a new stage. With the potential for tools to surpass humans, it’s worth discussing whether the development of AI is a blessing or a danger to humanity.
From the caveman apes to modern humans, human civilization has been constantly developing and evolving. From the four great civilizations of antiquity – Mesopotamia, Indus, Egypt, and Yellow River – to the modern information age, the evolution of the tools we use has played a key role in the development of civilization. Through the use of fire and the invention of stone tools, humans gradually transitioned from a hunter-gatherer culture to an agricultural society, which led to the beginning of the four ancient civilizations. Later, tools continued to evolve with the development of technologies such as bronze and iron, and human civilization became highly developed, leading to modern civilization. Today, we use a lot of tools in our lives, from electronic devices like computers and smartphones to spoons, chopsticks, cars, and shoes. We can’t imagine life without tools now, and human civilization has developed alongside tools since the beginning.
It’s clear that the proper use and development of tools has brought us to where we are today. The development of civilization and the development of tools are inseparable. However, there comes a point where it is necessary to discuss how far the development of tools can go. What happens when tools are no longer just objects that aid human activities? What happens when tools have human capabilities, and even surpass them? In 2016, the AI AlphaGo vs. Lee Sedol 9 match was a shocking reminder that tools can surpass humans. AlphaGo, a Go program developed by Google, defeated Lee Sedol, the world’s greatest Go player, by an overwhelming score of 4:1 in front of the world. Although A.I. is just a tool invented by humans, the defeat of humanity’s greatest player in Go, the most complex game ever invented by humans, by a tool made the world realize that A.I. can no longer just follow human commands, but can surpass human capabilities.
Of course, this doesn’t mean we need to fear AlphaGo right away. Although it surpassed humans in Go, AlphaGo is only a Go program and does not possess many of the other abilities that humans have. It’s not AlphaGo itself that we should be wary of, but the future that AlphaGo hints at. If the tools that have been helping humans progress by following our commands gradually become more intelligent than us, the relationship between humans and tools will change dramatically. The rise of AlphaGo suggests that this future may not be science fiction, but a reality. Therefore, at this time of heightened interest in artificial intelligence, it’s important to discuss the extent to which we should allow its development.
AI is currently the pinnacle of tool development that we can think of. There are two kinds of AI: strong AI, which is self-aware, self-aware, and can do everything humans can do, and weak AI, which is programmed to do things but is unaware of what it is doing. Developing strong AI is not possible with current technology, but even if it becomes possible, I think we should limit it. If you put a human-like mind into a machine, you’re creating an “artificial life form,” and that can be very disruptive. If a machine that thinks and acts like a human is recognized as life, it will no longer be a tool of humans, but an equal life form. A world with machines that are infinitely reproducible and whose motor skills exceed those of humans will never be peaceful.
Of course, there are measures that can be taken to prevent this danger. American author Isaac Asimov proposed the Three Principles of Robotics. First, robots should not harm humans or allow humans to harm them through inaction. Second, robots should obey human commands, except when those commands violate the first principle. Third, robots must protect their own existence, except when doing so would violate the first and second principles. However, these safeguards do not guarantee peace between humans and AI. In the movie I, Robot, an A.I. reinterprets these three principles, believes that human behavior is destroying the planet and will lead to the extinction of humans, and seeks to control humans. Of course, there is exaggeration in the movie, but the possibility that humans cannot understand the judgment of an A.I. can be unsettling, as even in the great game between AlphaGo and Lee Sedol 9, AlphaGo defeated Lee Sedol 9 with a number of moves that humans could not understand. A society with physically capable machines working alongside humans, even with safeguards such as the Three Principles, will never be safe.
In the case of weak AI, the benefits it can bring are too great to blindly oppose its development. Imagine AI being deployed in extreme environments that humans can’t access. The development of AI that can be used in extreme situations such as firefighting, undersea construction, etc. could be of great benefit to humanity. However, the scope of AI’s application is not limited to such essential situations. There are many tasks that humans can do that AI can do more efficiently. For example, a pharmacist would be able to fill a prescription much faster and more efficiently if it were done by an AI rather than a human pharmacist. In a capitalist society, human pharmacists would soon be out of a job. In fact, there are many predictions that doctors, pharmacists, teachers, and other professions will disappear as AI develops.
In a capitalist system that is driven by the pursuit of profit, the development of AI is a welcome development for companies. AI doesn’t need to be paid, and it’s more efficient than humans, so the net profit of the company will increase. However, from an employee’s point of view, they will lose their jobs to machines. The prospect of AI replacing many of the roles of humans with the development of AI also means that many people will lose their jobs. In the long run, the gap between the rich and the poor may become even wider than it is now, leading to a serious imbalance in society. In other words, A.I., which was developed to advance civilization, could endanger it.
In the end, the development of AI is a double-edged sword. If used well, it can be a blessing that can further advance human civilization, but if misused, it can be a threat to human well-being. If the development of AI can be prevented from causing harm to humanity, I would be in favor of it. However, at the moment, it is dangerous to push for development without a clear solution to the job imbalance and human marginalization that the development of A.I. brings. However, it is not practical to ban the development of A.I. directly. It is urgent to allow development, but to put in place social safeguards to minimize the damage that can occur in a capitalist system and prevent the privileging of AI by a few wealthy individuals.
Job sharing and basic income are two of the most prominent safeguards currently being discussed. Job sharing refers to the sharing of other stable jobs when certain occupations disappear. For example, instead of 40 hours of work per person in a job that is unlikely to be automated, you could share 20 hours of work with someone whose job is lost to AI. A basic income system would provide a minimum cost of living for all members of society, regardless of wealth or income, whether they work or not, or whether they are willing to work or not. These two systems are expected to solve the problem of jobs disappearing due to A.I to some extent, but the practical feasibility and specific system contents have not yet been finalized.
As you can see, A.I. has been a topic that has attracted the attention of many people since the past. While some people look forward to a future where AI can solve difficult problems or coexist peacefully with intelligent artificial life forms, others fear a dystopia where humans are dominated by machines. Whether the development of AI is a gift to humanity or a Pandora’s box that shouldn’t be opened remains to be seen. However, it is impossible to prevent this box from being opened, so research should be conducted to develop social safeguards alongside the development of AI. In order to ensure that the development of A.I. is beneficial to humanity, we will need to prepare in many ways in advance.
