I’m reading Brief Answers to the Big Questions, Steven Hawking’s last book published in 2018. One of the questions he takes on is, “Will artificial intelligence outsmart us?” His answer is more nuanced than some media outlets give him credit for.
Hawking sees huge potential for artificial intelligence, especially in partnership with human cognition and if properly aligned with human interests.
If we can connect a human brain to the internet it will have all of Wikipedia as its resource.
Steven Hawking, Brief Answers to the Big Questions
However, he acknowledges that creating this alignment is tricky and there are many risks in a technology that can quickly surpass human abilities and exponentially develop itself.
His key advice is that humanity needs to seriously consider the risks and impact of artificial intelligence alongside developing it if it is to be a beneficial rather than a destructive force.
For my notes on this book as well as the list of books I’ve read and my reviews, visit my Goodreads page.
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