Primary Country (Mandatory)

United States

Other Country (Optional)

Set News Language for United States

Primary Language (Mandatory)
English
Other Language[s] (Optional)
No other language available

Set News Language for World

Primary Language (Mandatory)
English
Other Language(s) (Optional)

Set News Source for United States

Primary Source (Mandatory)
CNN
Other Source[s] (Optional)

Set News Source for World

Primary Source (Mandatory)
AajTak
Other Source(s) (Optional)
  • Countries
    • India
    • United States
    • Qatar
    • Germany
    • China
    • Canada
    • World
  • Categories
    • National
    • International
    • Business
    • Entertainment
    • Sports
    • Special
    • All Categories
  • Available Languages for United States
    • English
  • All Languages
    • English
    • Hindi
    • Arabic
    • German
    • Chinese
    • French
  • Sources
    • India
      • AajTak
      • NDTV India
      • The Hindu
      • India Today
      • Zee News
      • NDTV
      • BBC
      • The Wire
      • News18
      • News 24
      • The Quint
      • ABP News
      • Zee News
      • News 24
    • United States
      • CNN
      • Fox News
      • Al Jazeera
      • CBSN
      • NY Post
      • Voice of America
      • The New York Times
      • HuffPost
      • ABC News
      • Newsy
    • Qatar
      • Al Jazeera
      • Al Arab
      • The Peninsula
      • Gulf Times
      • Al Sharq
      • Qatar Tribune
      • Al Raya
      • Lusail
    • Germany
      • DW
      • ZDF
      • ProSieben
      • RTL
      • n-tv
      • Die Welt
      • Süddeutsche Zeitung
      • Frankfurter Rundschau
    • China
      • China Daily
      • BBC
      • The New York Times
      • Voice of America
      • Beijing Daily
      • The Epoch Times
      • Ta Kung Pao
      • Xinmin Evening News
    • Canada
      • CBC
      • Radio-Canada
      • CTV
      • TVA Nouvelles
      • Le Journal de Montréal
      • Global News
      • BNN Bloomberg
      • Métro
MoreBack to News Headlines
Will we control AI, or will it control us? Top researchers weigh in

Will we control AI, or will it control us? Top researchers weigh in

CBC
Sunday, January 12, 2025 12:37 PM GMT

Imagine this: you're gently awoken by the dulcet tones of your personal assistant just as you're nearing the end of your final sleep cycle.

A disembodied voice informs you of the emails you missed overnight and how they were responded to in your absence. The same voice lets you know rain is expected this morning and recommends you don your trenchcoat before leaving the house. As your car drives you to the office, your wristwatch announces that lunch from your local steak house has been preordered for delivery since your iron levels have been a little low lately.

Having all your needs anticipated and met before you've even had the chance to realize them yourself is one of the potentials of advanced artificial intelligence. Some of Canada's top AI researchers believe it could create a utopia for humankind — if AI doesn't eradicate our species first.

While neither new nor simple, the conversation surrounding AI and how it will impact the way we lead our lives can be broken into three parts: whether superintelligence — an entity that surpasses human intelligence — will be produced, how that entity could both improve upon or destroy life as we know it, and what we can do now to control the outcome. 

But no matter what, observers in the field say the topic should be among the highest priorities for world leaders.

For the average person, AI in today's context can be characterized by posing a question to a device and hearing the answer within seconds. Or the wallet on your mobile phone opening at the sight of your face. 

These are responses that arise following a human prompt for a single task, which is a common characteristic of artificial intelligence, or artificial narrow intelligence (ANI). The next stage is AGI, or artificial general intelligence, which is still in development, but would provide the potential for machines to think and make decisions on their own and therefore be more productive, according to the University of Wolverhampton in England.

ASI, or superintelligence, will operate beyond a human level and is only a matter of years away, according to many in the field, including British-Canadian computer scientist, Geoffrey Hinton, who spoke with CBC from his studio in Toronto where he lives and currently serves as a Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto.

"If you want to know what it's like not to be the apex intelligence, ask a chicken," said Hinton, often lauded as one of the Godfathers of AI.

"Nearly all the leading researchers believe that we will get superintelligence. We will make things smarter than ourselves," said Hinton. "I thought it would be 50 to 100 years. Now I think it's maybe five to 20 years before we get superintelligence. Maybe longer, but it's coming quicker than I thought."

Jeff Clune, a computer science professor at the University of British Columbia and the Canada CIFAR AI Chair at the Vector Institute, an AI research not-for-profit based in Toronto, echoes Hinton's predictions regarding superintelligence.

"I definitely think that there's a chance, and a non-trivial chance, that it could show up this year," he said.

"We have entered the era in which superintelligence is possible with each passing month and that probability will grow with each passing month."

Eradicating diseases, streamlining irrigation systems, and perfecting food distribution are just a few of the techniques superintelligence could provide to help humans solve the climate crisis and end world hunger. However, experts caution against underestimating the power of AI, both for better or worse.

Read full story on CBC
Share this story on:-
Run 3 Space | Play Space Running GamePlay Run 3, the ultimate space tunnel running game with 300+ challenging levels!Adv.
Traffic Jam 3D | Online Racing GameTraffic Jam 3D is a game where you’ll be driving through heavy traffic.Adv.
Duck Hunt | Play Old Classic GamePlay the classic 1984 light gun shooter game Duck Hunt on your browser.Adv.
More Related News
Parking Slot | Free Parking GamePlay Parking Slot, the best online 3D car driving and parking game.Adv.
Slope Ball Run - Play OnlineSlope Game takes you on an exciting journey of a ball on special paths.Adv.
Work underway to measure the quality of life of Nova Scotians with disabilities

In Nova Scotia, where there's a significant proportion of people living with disabilities, work is underway to measure whether the province is making progress on improving their lives.

Life is 'better after solar': Harnessing sunlight gives India's salt farmers freedom and profit

Under a punishing midday sun, Devabhai Sawadiya slowly rakes the salt pan that has been in his family for generations. It's quiet around him, except for the sweeping motions of his salt broom and the soft, clinking sound of dishes being washed nearby. 

Some rape crisis centres report spike in calls since start of Hockey Canada sexual assault trial

WARNING: This article references sexual assault and may affect those who have experienced​ ​​​sexual violence or know someone impacted by it.

A brisk walk a few times a week could help keep colon cancer away, study suggests

James Smith woke up from a colonoscopy to be told devastating news. At 59, he was diagnosed with colon cancer. Doctors found a mass so large it completely blocked their view of the rest of his colon. Smith said he was shocked.

Daughter of First Nations woman missing 20 years remembers her mother's 'warm hands'

Stephanie Cameron-Johnson was 11 and in foster care when she learned her mother had gone missing on Vancouver Island, after a friend showed her a photo in a newspaper.

How much does your gut health impact your overall health? A lot, doctors say

You may be hearing a lot about the gut microbiome these days — it's been mentioned everywhere, from wellness podcasts to the grocery aisle. Doctors are tapping into it to try to treat some diseases differently.

© 2008 - 2025 Webjosh  |  News Archive  |  Privacy Policy  |  Contact Us