Daily Times

Once Allah, Almighty, decided to create the universe and, subsequently, the living beings, with human beings superior to them, He allowed His creations to explore all dimensions of the universe and did not pose any limitations. For this purpose, the Creator made human nature curious and inquisitive so that he and she could use the inherent intellect blessed upon them.

Since their creation, humans have made the best use of this freedom entrusted by the Creator and have created numerous things for their benefit, making their lives easy and comfortable. However, most creations and innovations have fallen into a dual-use category. These creations have been of great significance to facilitating mankind but, at the same time, extremely harmful to mankind and the environment. For instance, flying machines have significantly reduced distances and connected people, but similar technologies have been used to destroy people’s lives and lives. Likewise, ear technology has been effectively deployed for generating power and curing people of serious illnesses, but at the same, it has proven to be the deadliest weapon ever made.

Fast-forward to the 21st century, the most innovative technology is the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI). The simplest definition of AI “refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines, enabling them to perform tasks that typically require human cognitive abilities.” In other words, humans created a system that can facilitate them in performing tasks that include “learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, language understanding, and decision-making.” Simply speaking, this kind of delegation of authority is unprecedented in the technological evolution and hence must be referred to as a game-changer not only in military affairs but also in every domain of life and living.

There is a high probability of a mad race between the high-tech nations to monopolize the development and employment of AI for their benefit

Whatever humans want and are designed for, AI can do that effortlessly. First, it can store a lot more data than millions of human minds together can. Second, AI can process the stored data at an unimaginable speed that cannot be comprehended by a multitude of human minds. Third, AI can make dispassionate decisions, which is not humanly possible due to the emotional makeup of the human mind. Fourth, AI can generate the desired power to accomplish an assigned task that humans cannot. Fifth, there is a remote probability that AI will tire of doing what it is designed for and asked for.

These are only a few attributes of AI that distinguish it from human intelligence, even if it was designed and programmed by humans. However, the real power of AI lies in its “ability to process vast amounts of data, learn from patterns, automate tasks, and enhance decision-making at a scale and speed beyond human capability.”

However, my concern remains with AI’s doability for dual use because humans are designed by The Creator to be impatient, greedy, and jealous so that they can be tested for their deeds. Now that AI can do so much and quickly for humans, it would be far more attractive for them to use it against their adversaries to gain worldly advantages. For instance, robots will not only be used in hospitals but also in the manufacturing sector, thus stealing the jobs of millions of male and female workers. Likewise, AI’s ability to do high-speed data processing will make it a first choice for customer service centres, financial trading, and security departments for scrutiny purposes.

Another quality that AI possesses and will be very lucrative for humans in the corporate sector is its ability to analyze data and quickly present multiple options in order of priority to facilitate decision-making.

Perhaps, the entertainment sector is one of the major beneficiaries of AI because these tools are frequently used to create artwork, content creation, and music composition. The film-making was never as easy as it is now and social media users are making the best use of auto-generated effects readily available on smartphone applications.

In the education sector, the research and analyses have been made easy. The students are using it to conduct complex surveys, and data analysis with effortless ease, which could not be imagined before the provision of AI. However, my fear remains that it might put the human mind to rest and only a few scientists would work to improve their creations and the rest will just use it to accomplish their tasks.

Should that happen, it will be a disaster for the future generations, because the overdependence on technology might rust the cognitive skills of our future generations. Humans are highly adaptable to evolving technology and like to use it for one’s benefit. But, at the same time, they do not want the adversary to use the same so that it remains dependable on them for the similar technology.

Therefore, there is a high probability that there will be a mad race between the high-tech nations to monopolize the development and employment of AI for their benefits, concurrently causing harm to the adversaries to ensure their hegemony. I think there is still time for the stakeholders to formulate ethical procedures and processes for the deployment and employment of AI for the benefit of mankind instead of causing harm to life, living and the environment which is already under stress due to the effects of climate change.

The writer of this article has authored three international books: “Nuclear Deterrence and Conflict Management Between India and Pakistan” “South Asia Needs Hybrid Peace” and “Understanding Sun Tzu and the Art of Hybrid War.”