I am quite focused on advancing computer science so it becomes more capable and able to solve more of our problems. Over the last many decades, procedural programming enabled us to solve many broad classes of problems, but there are still have many problems outside procedural’s grasp. Artificial Intelligence (AI), aka cognitive computing, is one good way to approach many of the remaining problems. So I spend a lot of time trying to advance these new technologies.
However, one of my favorite phrases is from Melvin Kranzberg: “Technology is neither good nor bad; and it is seldom neutral”. So we (both ME and YOU) must always carefully consider the implications of our technologies.
Along those lines, I just read this excerpt titled Will Superintelligent AIs Be Our Doom? I don’t believe we should never explore a technology just because it might cause harm. If that were the case, we should have never developed most of the technologies that make up modern life. I do believe there is a possibility AI could get away from us. The take-away for me is: we need to consider both the wildly good and wildly bad possibilities. That at least helps us understand — as best as possible — what might actually happen.