Could Artificial Intelligence Bring About the End of Civilization?
A public survey is being conducted by researchers to assess public opinions regarding artificial intelligence (AI) and software in general. The main objective is to gain a deeper understanding of how the public perceives, fears and hopes for the impact of AI on society.
However, researchers from Lero, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software, and University College Cork are investigating the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on civilization. They are interested in understanding public perceptions and knowledge about AI and software in general.
Dr. Sarah Robinson Leads Anonymous Online Survey on AI and Software Impact
Dr. Sarah Robinson, a psychologist and senior postdoctoral researcher with Lero, is leading this initiative and inviting the public to participate in a brief, anonymous online survey. The survey aims to uncover the hopes and fears that people have regarding AI and software’s broader implications.
The scientists emphasize the importance of considering the public’s perspective since debates among experts often neglect public opinions. While some AI experts focus on potential apocalyptic scenarios, others worry about immediate concerns like biased programming in machines, leading to racist and sexist outcomes. Given the significant impact of software on everyone’s lives, the public’s input is crucial in determining the responsibility associated with software development.
Urgency in Examining Public Perceptions of Ethical Implications
Dr. Robinson points out that AI and facial recognition software have already been involved in human rights abuses, underscoring the urgency of understanding public attitudes towards AI and software’s ethical implications.
According to research conducted by Dr. Abeba Birhane and others at Lero, the data used to train certain AI systems contains racist and misogynistic language. This poses a significant concern as AI becomes more pervasive, as biased data may perpetuate harm and further marginalize already vulnerable groups.
Dr. Robinson’s Team Seeks Insight into Ethical Software Practices and Public Priorities
While there is considerable media coverage about AI, particularly ChatGPT, and its impact on society, there is limited information available regarding the public’s perception of the software that surrounds us, such as social media and streaming services.
Dr. Robinson and her team are eager to understand the public’s viewpoint, including their concerns, priorities in promoting responsible and ethical software practices, and their ideas to actualize these objectives.
The survey will ask participants about their opinions and potential concerns on various issues and topics, with the aim of gaining clarity on critical matters. Lero is requesting the public to contribute just 10 minutes of their time to participate in this short survey.
Read the original article on ScietechDaily.
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