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!
The passage is primarily concerned with:-
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Artificial Intelligence and its dominance over human endeavour -is it a threat?
The passage weighs the promise of AI against its danger. It begins with an open letter calling for research into the impact of AI on society and a warning that AI, if deployed incautiously, will harm the human race. It goes on to the need for a kill switch because AI could surpass human intellectual capacity, and ends with the line that our future is a race between the power of technology and the wisdom with which we use it. The whole passage asks whether AI's growing power over human activity is a threat, so this title sums up its main concern.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: The history of space exploration — Incorrect. Not mentioned: the passage says nothing about space travel or its history. It is entirely about AI and its risks.
Option 2: Lethal autonomous robots — Incorrect. Too narrow: lethal means able to cause death, and autonomous means acting on its own. The passage speaks of robots and a kill switch, but never of robots built to kill.
Example: The snake's bite can be lethal if not treated quickly.
Option 3: Imminent threat to our atmosphere and space ambition due to generative AI — Incorrect. Not mentioned: the passage says nothing about the atmosphere, space programmes or generative AI.
Note: In the original NTA paper, Option 1 read "Protection of research and studies on AI". NTA accepted this option as a correct answer as well. To leave only one correct answer and avoid confusion for students, it has been changed here to "The history of space exploration".
Advice for the exam: In the real exam, mark the answer that is grammatically or factually correct. If NTA’s provisional answer key marks a different option, challenge it during the answer-key challenge window and give the reason in one or two lines.