Rise of Concerns About AI: Reflections and Directions

by  Thomas G. Dietterich and Eric J. Horvitz,   CACM

Discussions about Artificial intelligence (AI) have jumped into the public eye over the past year, with several luminaries speaking about the threat of AI to the future of humanity. Over the last several decades, AI—automated perception, learning, reasoning, and decision making—has become commonplace in our lives. We plan trips using GPS systems that rely on the A* algorithm to optimize the route. Our smartphones understand our speech, and Siri, Cortana,
and Google Now are getting better at understanding our intentions.

In the latest issue of the Communications of the ACM, Tom Dietterich and Eric Horvitz, respectively the current and former president of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, discuss the state of artificial intelligence (AI) research and the recent rise in anxiety about AI.

Although Dietterich and Horvitz conclude current fears about runaway AI surpassing or destroying humanity are, at best, distant concerns considering the current state of AI, they do highlight several more realistic concerns that should be given more attention.

First, they caution AI systems, like all software, are vulnerable to bugs, and it is important to find ways of ensuring the reliability of AI software. Similarly, AI developers should think about cybersecurity issues, and find ways to protect their AI software from abuse by hackers.

Dietterich and Horvitz also say attention must be paid to the potential for “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” situations, in which limits to an AI’s ability to understand human instructions could result in unintended, and potentially dangerous, outcomes.

The fourth area of concern comes from the area of shared autonomy, in which humans working hand-in-hand with AI systems can lead to unforeseen dangers and complications. Finally, Diettrich and Horvitz say AI researchers need to work together with colleagues across multiple disciplines to better understand the potential socio-economic impact of AI technology.  Read the blog