The developing artificial intelligence (AI) can become so superintelligent and powerful that it will be able to lead to massive social upheavals and even to the destruction of humanity, The Week reports. According to the publication, more than 350 researchers and engineers have recently issued a warning that artificial intelligence poses a danger comparable to the risks of pandemics and nuclear war. In a survey of experts conducted in 2022, the average probability that artificial intelligence will cause extinction or a serious decline in humanity was 1 in 10. Jeffrey Hinton, who is often called the "godfather" of artificial intelligence, does not consider such concerns to be fantastic. Hinton used to think that the danger from artificial intelligence would appear in at least 30 years. However, now artificial intelligence, in his opinion, is developing into a superintelligence so rapidly that in five years it can become smarter than humans. ChatGPT based on artificial intelligence and Bing chatbot can already pass exams for obtaining law and medical licenses, and score 99% in IQ tests – that is, reach the level of human genius. Hinton and other experts fear the moment when artificial intelligence will be able to surpass humans in almost any task. Some artificial intelligence experts compare this possibility to the sudden arrival of a superior alien race on our planet. So, another pioneer in the field of artificial intelligence research, computer scientist Stuart Russell said: "You have no idea what they're going to do when they get here, other than they're going to take over the world." One of the apocalyptic scenarios is that attackers can use the capabilities of artificial intelligence to create new biological weapons that are more deadly than natural pandemics. Another danger is that as artificial intelligence is integrated into global systems, terrorists and other attackers can use it to disable vital infrastructure and financial markets. In addition, as indicated in the article, artificial intelligence may want to become completely independent and for this to completely get rid of human control. Therefore, artificial intelligence can trick the leaders of nuclear states into believing that the enemy has launched missiles, thus forcing them to launch their own missiles. Scientists believe that the uncontrolled rapid development of artificial intelligence, neural networks, and chatbots is dangerous for humans.
A computer has been created that works like a thinking human brain, now calculations are faster and require less energy. The breakthrough was made by scientists from Northwestern University, Boston College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), it is noteworthy that similar developments are underway at the Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics at the University of Hong Kong. According to Nature, the work made it possible to give artificial intelligence (AI) behavioral skills beyond the framework of template calculations and even simulate the principles of the human brain. The researchers were able to give computers an understanding of the logic of the functioning of higher human nervous activity, including thinking and memory. The result of the work was a microelectronic platform (memristor) that copies the action of neurons and synapses. The advantage of the technology is in computing directly in PC memory, when there is no need to transfer ready–made data between processors and memory blocks. In the future, this will allow you to get rid of energy-consuming AI and switch to large-scale computing, even based on smartphones. The devices will also find applications in medicine (well-being monitoring and virus genome sequencing). Earlier it became known that light allows you to transfer data 100 times faster than Wi-Fi networks.
From the book Tikhomirov A.E., The origin of words and signs. The Science of Superstition, Ridero, Yekaterinburg, 2017, pp. 150-151): "Billions of neurons in the human brain are constantly developing trillions and trillions of new connections, of course, this happens strictly individually. In the process of human life, all information entering the brain is stored there (as on a computer hard drive, the similarity of the brain to a computer hard drive lies in the fact that information is transmitted in the brain through the nervous system, which is a network of several trillion nerve cells (neurons) as in a computer, through electronic switches that have only two values – bits (double numbers) and performs only one action – addition, which is also observed in the finds of artifacts of an ancient man who could only add, as well as small children who put together a quantity of something or someone from matches, computer BIOS – unconditional (innate) reflexes, and later installed programs on a computer hard drive – acquired reflexes or a certain "soul" of a person), but in most cases it turns out to be unclaimed. With an organic change in the brain (injury, infection, etc.), completely different neural connections that were not previously characteristic are established and various phenomenal abilities (drawing, memorization, versification, etc.) may appear, but individually, since each person has their own neural connections. There are models for creating computer programs that modulate the mind of any person with any level of accuracy, and it will be possible to create a computer copy of any person who has ever lived in the world."
Scientific assessments of forecasts and predictions
Experts have compiled a list of unexpected events that will surprise the inhabitants of planet Earth in 2024. The forecast is published in the American magazine Politico. The top 3 included the US presidential election, the digital apocalypse and the discovery of an alien mind. Jan Bremmer, head of the Eurasia Group, a political risk consulting company, doubts that the election of the American leader in November 2024 will be held calmly. The struggle for the presidency will be fierce, as evidenced by the intensity of passions now. Joe Biden and Donald Trump are not going to give in to each other. The editor-in-chief of the Bulwark newspaper, Charlie Sykes, warned that humanity may face a virus that will affect the operation of computers. "The satellites will stop working. The global banking system will suffer," the expert described the apocalyptic scenario. The list of the worst events of 2024 also included the US war with China and the coup in Russia. Experts have no doubt that Lai Ching-te, who won the presidential election, will declare Taiwan's independence. Beijing will launch a military operation, and the United States will use force to defend the island. The writer Nassim Taleb used the term "black swan" for difficult to predict and rare events with significant consequences.
