Many media outlets are talking about the rise of AI anxiety. People are nervous about the widespread adoption of AI, and they have some valid concerns. Although AI could lead to medical advancements and productivity improvements, it’s possible this new technology could be misused or have unintended consequences. Here are 12 potentially scary dangers of artificial intelligence that could have a negative impact on society.
1. Erosion of Trust
AI bots and deepfakes can be used by bad actors to manipulate the public and spread misinformation. NYMag says companies are also beginning to use AI influencers to promote their products. The potential rise of AI influencers and deepfakes may cause online content to become even less authentic than it is today, eroding overall trust in the internet.
2. Loss of Human Connection
In the movie “Her” a man falls in love with a computer. It sounds unlikely, but people may begin to go down that path by preferring to converse with AI. Rather than dealing with other humans who can be emotionally messy, we may opt to befriend artificial intelligence. This would cause us to lose out on vital human connections and further weaken our community ties.
3. Intellectual Dependence
It’s possible that AI could cause some intellectual dependence and loss of critical thinking skills. As we recruit AI to assist us with more of our daily tasks, we may become increasingly reliant on tools like ChatGPT. Some educators also fear that AI will affect educational outcomes if kids use it to complete their work.
4. Bias and Discrimination
Another one of the scary dangers of AI is discrimination. AI systems can inherit biases present in the data they’re trained on, leading to potentially discriminatory outcomes in areas like hiring, lending, and criminal justice. Experts say that it’s crucial to use diverse training data and rigorously test AI models to help ensure fairness.
5. Negative Environmental Impact
Experts say that artificial intelligence may have a negative environmental impact. AI data centers consume a large amount of power, so they have a pretty big carbon footprint. Hopefully as technology advances, more sustainable algorithms that use less electricity will be developed.
6. Job Loss
A report by Goldman Sachs found that AI could automate up to a quarter of work tasks, causing significant disruption in the labor market. As many as 300 million jobs could be affected by 2030. Although AI could create new jobs and strengthen productivity, there will likely be job loss and growing pains, especially for employees in roles that are easily automated.
7. Privacy Concerns
There are already privacy concerns about the personal data that’s collected from consumers everyday, such as location data, browsing behavior, purchase history, contacts, and more. According to Brookings, artificial intelligence may intensify these concerns. AI technology can help companies analyze data faster and use it in more ways that may infringe on consumer privacy.
There are also worries about advancements in facial recognition systems that could be used to track people’s movements. More regulation and oversight is likely necessary to protect sensitive consumer data and privacy overall.
8. Potential Market Crash
According to Fortune, one of the scary dangers of artificial intelligence is a potential financial crisis. It’s possible that widespread algorithmic trading could cause a stock market crash. AI can analyze large amounts of data and see patterns and investing opportunities that humans may not. Robo investing tools can also execute trades extremely quickly in a matter of nanoseconds. Investors fear that the breakneck speed of AI trading could lead to increased market volatility and crashes.
9. Uncontrollable AI
One of the scary dangers of artificial intelligence is the possibility of sentience. In theory, AI could potentially become self-aware. If AI technology progresses to superintelligence, some fear it may begin acting on its own in malicious ways.
10. Misuse By Hackers
Scary dangers of artificial intelligence also extend to hacking. AI can be misused to carry out cyberattacks, infect devices with malware, and steal sensitive information and files. Sadly, it’s possible that AI could compromise digital security and increase cybercrime.
11. Loss of Human Creativity
Advances in AI could also lead to a loss of human creativity. If tools like ChatGPT are used to create the bulk of our movies and books, humans may not see the point of producing art anymore. This is concerning as the act of creating is great for our mental health. Our artistic drive could even be considered a fundamental aspect of human nature, so how will we feel and cope if we lose it?
12. New Types of Scams
AI is also being used to introduce new types of scams such as voice cloning. Fraudsters can replicate a person’s voice with AI and contact their relatives by phone to ask for money. CEO scams in which bad actors pose as the head of a company are also common.
Regulation Is Likely Needed
More legislation and oversight are likely needed to mitigate potentially scary dangers of artificial intelligence. Research has shown that there’s a lack of transparency among major AI companies, so greater accountability may be required for responsible AI implementation and management.
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Vicky Monroe is a freelance personal finance and lifestyle writer. When she’s not busy writing about her favorite money saving hacks or tinkering with her budget spreadsheets, she likes to travel, garden, and cook healthy vegetarian meals.
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