Meta joins the bandwagon of creating human-level AI
SHARE
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become an integral part of modern society, permeating various aspects of our daily lives. From virtual personal assistants and recommendation algorithms powering online platforms to advanced medical diagnostics and autonomous vehicles, AI is reshaping industries and revolutionizing the way we live and work. Its ability to analyze vast amounts of data, learn from patterns, and make informed decisions has led to unprecedented advancements in fields like healthcare, finance, and manufacturing.
The Chief Executive Officer of Meta Mark Zuckerberg announced that his company is entering the race to develop super artificial intelligence, thereby competing with Microsoft-supported OpenAI and Google in this endeavor.
Referred to at times as artificial general intelligence (AGI), the objective, as outlined in an interview with The Verge, is to develop AI capable of problem-solving and reasoning at a level comparable to that of humans. He said during the interview with The Verge, “We’ve come to this view that, in order to build the products that we want to build, we need to build for general intelligence.”
“I think that’s important to convey because a lot of the best researchers want to work on more ambitious problems,” he added.
During the interview as well, Zuckerberg mentioned that encapsulating the definition of AGI in a concise, one-sentence statement is not feasible. “You can quibble about if general intelligence is akin to human level intelligence, or is it like human-plus, or is it some far-future super intelligence,” he stated.
Various tech enterprises, including Elon Musk’s startup xAI, are in a competitive effort to attract programmers and innovators for the creation of generative AI models similar to the one behind ChatGPT. This OpenAI-developed chatbot has ignited a fervor in the field of artificial intelligence. As reported by tech media outlet The Information, Google is employing stock compensation to prevent its researchers from being recruited elsewhere, while OpenAI is enticing top talent with multimillion-dollar salary packages.
Presently, Meta has introduced its AI model, Llama 2, and Zuckerberg indicated that his teams are actively developing a subsequent version. Alongside the aspiration to attain AGI, there is concern that the capabilities of this technology might become too potent, surpassing human control.
For the meantime, here are the pros of using AGI:
- Problem-Solving Capabilities: AGI has the potential to excel in problem-solving tasks across various domains, contributing to advancements in science, medicine, and technology.
- Automation of Complex Tasks: AGI could automate intricate and time-consuming tasks, leading to increased efficiency in industries such as manufacturing, logistics, and research.
- Innovation Acceleration: AGI has the capacity to accelerate the pace of innovation by rapidly analyzing vast amounts of data, identifying patterns, and generating novel solutions.
- Enhanced Decision-Making: AGI systems, with their ability to process information comprehensively, could aid in better decision-making in fields like finance, healthcare, and strategic planning.
- Personalized Services: AGI can be used to create highly personalized and tailored services, such as personalized healthcare plans, education, and entertainment experiences.
Here are the cons:
- Ethical Concerns: The development of AGI raises ethical issues related to privacy, security, and the potential misuse of powerful AI systems, leading to concerns about accountability and responsibility.
- Unemployment Concerns: Automation of tasks through AGI could lead to job displacement in certain sectors, potentially causing economic and social challenges.
- Bias and Fairness Issues: AGI systems may inherit biases present in the data they are trained on, leading to unfair and discriminatory outcomes. Ensuring fairness and addressing bias is a significant challenge.
- Lack of Control: As AGI becomes more advanced, there are concerns about its autonomy and the potential for systems to operate beyond human control, leading to unpredictable behavior.
- Security Risks: AGI systems could be vulnerable to attacks, and if misused or hacked, they may pose significant security risks, potentially causing widespread damage.
High Development Costs: Developing AGI requires significant resources, both in terms of funding and talent. The high costs associated with research and development may limit access to AGI technologies. Balancing the benefits and challenges of AGI will be crucial for responsible development and deployment, requiring careful consideration of ethical, societal, and regulatory aspects.
*Cover Photo/Thumbnail Photo: Facebook/Mark Zuckerberg