Fears over AI turning world into a 'dystopian nightmare' - poll results
Most of us are worried about the rise of artificial intelligence, with Mirror readers anxious the new tech will take our jobs and even transform the world into a 'dystopian nightmare' akin to the Terminator movies.
In our poll 'Are you worried about the rise of AI?', 650 of you said yes, while 215 said no. This year has seen explosive growth in artificial intelligence thanks to the rise of 'machine learning algorithms' - essentially how an AI system predicts output values from given input data. Its ubiquity has been fuelled by a growth in data technologies and cloud computing, which has made it easier to store, process, and analyse massive amounts of data, thus allowing AI systems to extract insights and make predictions with a high level of accuracy.
On one hand the benefits are enormous, ranging from streamlining, saving time, faster decision-making, and automating repetitive tasks. But on the flip side, AI can be costly to implement, not to mention potential job losses, and an inherent lack of emotion and creativity. Over the past year or so, chances are you’ve had conversations with friends, family, and colleagues about not only the huge potential of AI but perhaps also the fear that often accompanies such groundbreaking technology. Many voters are afraid AI-fuelled fake news could even threaten the next general election.
Research shows the spread of fake news is the public’s main fear over the technology. It topped concerns with 67 per cent saying it was their biggest worry over AI, followed by the lack of human creativity and judgment on 63 per cent, and human job losses on 61 per cent, according to a OnePoll study of 2,000 British adults for News Media Association and Newsworks (NMA).
If you can't see the poll, click here. When we published our poll, a lot of Mirror readers echoed these concerns, with one saying they were more worried about the rise of AI than they were global warming, while another criticised the many failings of the burgeoning technology. Not everyone was afraid, however, with one reader saying humans can always just 'pull the plug' if the machines got too powerful.
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Here's a selection of what Mirror readers had to say on the subject:
Whitewolf69: "It’s true AI will take over. The problem is humans will not be needed for jobs ... It is taking over just like the film Terminator. Give it another 20 to 30 years and humans will not be needed. I’m more worried about this than global warming and climate change."
Loveitortaxit: "Too late to be worried about it. It's already out there. Employers are using it instead of humans. Plod are using it on cameras. It's everywhere now. The world is heading to a dystopian nightmare."
Gl280959: "Yes AI (is already here) as in calling a government department and being placed on hold for six hours, that's AI, or getting a machine asking you ten questions before you are passed on to the wrong department ... so much for AI. It's a way of making things much slower, get an apple and dye it yellow or orange and see if the AI calls it an apple. AI doesn't think or analyse."
Dosie: "I can’t understand what all the fear is about AI. Surely if machines or robots get too overpowering we just pull the plug on them or don’t recharge them. Or am I being naive? I’m more scared about war and terrorism, or even lightning."
Taebotexan: "The biggest danger to earth is humans. On one hand, AI can't screw up as much as politicians or big companies have, not to mention people who won't recycle and are wiping out the earth's natural resources. On the other hand, AI's have no feelings. They don't love, give hugs or procreate. People are relying more and more on electronics and less on brain power. Its rarely I see a person without a phone or some other gadget. The sharing of conversation or your child playing in the sun is becoming extinct. So many things are being left by the wayside that were once everyday customs. Without a balance, humans will become redundant if we aren't already. All in the name of progress. I love my Kindle because I can read books on it. But, I wouldn't want it to take over my life."
Offmessage: "I'm not worried for myself as I'm 66 years old and won't be around for ever, but the world that younger people are trying to create for themselves does seem truly bizarre and scary to me. My dad probably felt the same though."
Are you worried about the rise of AI? Take our poll above and expand on your decision in the comments below.
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