Last Updated: May 12, 2023, 12:56 IST
Health academics pointed to a range of threats, including powerful AI surveillance systems being developed in dozens of countries, killer robots and disinformation. (Credits: AFP)
The academics wrote in the BMJ Global Health journal that time was running out to take action because corporations, the military and governments were working so fast to develop AI tools.
Health professionals are being called upon to raise awareness about the potential risks associated with artificial intelligence (AI), according to a group of academics who wrote in the BMJ Global Health journal. They emphasized that urgent action is needed as corporations, the military and governments are rapidly developing AI tools. The emergence of ChatGPT, a bot capable of generating coherent text from short prompts, led to a race among tech giants to integrate AI into various applications, sparking significant investment in AI startups.
The group of academics highlighted various threats posed by AI, including the development of powerful surveillance systems, autonomous weaponry, and the spread of false information. They also pointed out that biased datasets used to train AI algorithms could lead to serious harm or reduced care for individuals with darker skin in the healthcare sector.
The authors, led by Frederik Federspiel of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and David McCoy of the United Nations University in Kuala Lumpur, emphasized the need for global cooperation to address these challenges. They also highlighted the crucial role of healthcare professionals in raising awareness and addressing the risks associated with AI, stressing the importance of protecting democracy and instituting effective checks and balances to ensure the beneficial use of AI.
Geoffrey Hinton, a prominent figure in AI research, recently resigned from Google to draw attention to the profound societal and human risks posed by the technology, underscoring growing concerns within the field. Additionally, Elon Musk and hundreds of experts have called for a pause in AI development to ensure the safety and proper regulation of the technology.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – AFP)
