Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow:-
In January 2015, Stephen Hawking along with Elon Musk and many AI experts, signed an open letter on artificial intelligence, calling for serious research into its impact on society. In the past, Elon Musk has warned that superhuman artificial intelligence is capable of providing incalculable benefits, but if deployed incautiously, will have an adverse effect on the human race. He and I sit on the scientific advisory board for Future of Life Institute, an organisation working to mitigate existential risk facing humanity. This called for concrete research on how we could prevent potential problems while also reaping the potential benefits AI offers us, and is designed to get AI researchers and developers to pay more attention to AI safety.
Recent developments in the advancement of AI include a call by the European Parliament for drafting a set of regulations to govern the creation of robots and AI. A report presented to the Parliament declares that the world is on the cusp of a new industrial robot revolution. It stresses that at all times researchers and designers should ensure all robotic design incorporates a kill switch. There is a possibility that within a few decades AI could surpass human intellectual capacity and challenge the human-robot relationship.
By 2025, there will be about 30 mega cities with more than 10 million inhabitants. Robots will definitely speed up the retail process, but to revolutionise shopping, they need to be fast enough to allow same-day delivery on every order. Recent AI landmarks such as self-driving cars, or a computer game winning at the game of Go, etc. are signs of what is to come. Enormous levels of investment are pouring into this technology which will eventually permeate every aspect of society including health care, work, education and science.
Our future is a race between the growing power of a technology and the wisdom with which we use it!
AI safety is the need of the hour because:-
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → If AI is deployed incautiously, it will have an adverse effect on the very human existence.
The passage reports Elon Musk's warning that AI can give great benefits but if deployed incautiously, will have an adverse effect on the human race. Incautiously means without enough care, and adverse means harmful. Because careless use of AI can harm humanity itself, AI safety is the need of the hour; the open letter was meant to get researchers to pay more attention to it.
Example: The drug was withdrawn because of its adverse effects on the heart.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: AI is capable of providing incalculable benefits. — Incorrect. Wrong reason: incalculable means too great to be measured. This is the good side of AI; benefits do not create a need for safety.
Example: The flood caused incalculable loss to the farmers.
Option 3: The world is on the cusp of an AI Robotic Sports Revolution. — Incorrect. Misread: to be on the cusp of something is to be just about to experience it. The passage says the world is on the cusp of a new industrial robot revolution; sports are not mentioned.
Example: The young scientist is on the cusp of a major discovery.
Option 4: Enormous levels of investment are pouring into AI which should focus on food security. — Incorrect. Wrong reason: the passage mentions the investment, but says AI will spread into health care, work, education and science; food security is not mentioned, and investment is not the reason for safety.