Why is Skynet Scary?
If you've ever seen Terminator (if you haven't, correct your priorities) then you're familiar with the techno-evil that is Skynet. An all powerful, omnipotent AI that has taken control of the machines and destroyed it's creators: the human race. This dystopian 80's view of AI and technology may seem a little silly, but it has shaped the way many of us perceive the results of this tech becoming a reality.
People inherently fear what they do not understand. In the 80's an interconnected world was beyond comprehension and that is what made Skynet an effective "bad guy" for the films. This resonated so well, that even some of today's brightest minds (looking at you Elon) are taking measures to see that real wold AI never reaches that point. While I can't deny that the idea of a sentient computer with access to military strength is unsettling, I think the likelihood of this becoming reality is almost impossible.
If we all agree to leave the fiction in the movies and the science in the hands of those qualified, I think we will prosper from the results of their work. I personally can't wait to see what comes from the growth of AI.
People inherently fear what they do not understand. In the 80's an interconnected world was beyond comprehension and that is what made Skynet an effective "bad guy" for the films. This resonated so well, that even some of today's brightest minds (looking at you Elon) are taking measures to see that real wold AI never reaches that point. While I can't deny that the idea of a sentient computer with access to military strength is unsettling, I think the likelihood of this becoming reality is almost impossible.
If we all agree to leave the fiction in the movies and the science in the hands of those qualified, I think we will prosper from the results of their work. I personally can't wait to see what comes from the growth of AI.
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