N.D. (KFYR) – Artificial intelligence is an industry that is growing rapidly, and with this rapid growth has come dire warnings about threatening humanity’s survival
Bill Gates recently said that addressing the risks of AI should be “the world’s top priority.”
Some of the biggest names in the tech industry have been sounding alarms about where artificial intelligence is headed. Some are even calling for a slowdown in its development.
As the industry grows, colleges are working to keep up.
Bismarck State College offers an Associate of Applied Science in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
Professor Nick See said even experts are struggling to predict where AI will be a year from now.
“The sky’s the limit with AI. It can figure anything out given enough time, given enough resources,” said See.
He said the power of the tool comes with real risks.
“Just like anything on the internet, you can use it for good or bad,” he said.
While he doesn’t foresee any serious risks in the near future, there is a level of uncertainty that causes concern. Some people worry that AI could spin out of human control.
“So, there’s a lot of people in the AI industry right now that are worried. They’re called ‘doomers,’ and they worry that AI is going to break free, take over the world, extinguish humans or something to that effect,” said See.
Programs are building in ethics courses and guardrails to teach students how to use AI responsibly. One student said the real risk is individuals’ motives, not the actual technology.
“I think, you know, the main thing is really the ethics of the person using it. That’s really the main risk with AI. There’s bad apples, and it’s a reflection of humanity,” said Cade Nygard.
AI requires an enormous amount of resources, so Professor See believes that the warnings from big tech won’t be relevant anytime soon.
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