The explosive growth in artificial intelligence capabilities is thanks to the ingenuity of human beings. Building machines to take over positions in service industries from construction to retail is a big step for technology and an even bigger step for mankind. But while some of us fear for our jobs, AI in the wrong hands may have more nefarious intentions, even putting lives at stake.
In business settings, AI augmentation reduces the mundane and repetitive tasks we do on a daily basis, helping to free up our valuable creative energies. By 2021, this will generate almost $3 trillion for businesses and account for 6.2 billion hours of worker productivity. As a force for good, we look to AI to help us be safer, learn smarter, and work more efficiently — but not everyone has good motivations for AI. From authoritarian governments, to propaganda, to fueling social divides, AI is only as good as our intentions.
Though we may fear the results and capabilities of AI, the driving force behind the technology is mankind. When these machines are slated for evil, we only have ourselves to blame. Take a look at this infographic for more on the growth of AI and its potential for both good and evil.