The two words; **‘Artificial’** and **‘Intelligence’** can strike fear into anyone *intelligent* enough to understand its implications. The late Stephen Hawking predicted that AI will **supersede humanity**, as he is quoted to have said: 
> “The *development* of **full artificial intelligence** could spell the **end** of the human race”.

So, is this ‘spell’ a **warning** to be taken seriously, or is it all just an elaborate **magic trick**? Some of the greatest minds of this generation have suggested that the humble beginnings of AI, such as the **Amazon Alexa** telling you a bed time story, could turn into a *threat* to the survival of mankind. The true purpose of AI is to **assist** our lives and *satisfy* the modern human desire to take the **easiest path** through technology. Throughout this article I will discuss where we are up to with AI now and how it might **progress** into the future.

https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/03/23/09/34/robot-2167836_960_720.jpg

# Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial Intelligence is **everywhere**; in fact, nowadays, we *cannot* live without it! Artificial Intelligence doesn’t necessarily mean the accidental production of terminator-esque robots with the ultimate goal of wiping out the human race - so, on that note, *where* is this AI technology? To begin to answer this question, let us *define* **intelligence**.
## What *is* Intelligence?
The dictionary definition of intelligence is the ability to **absorb** and **apply** knowledge and skills [1]. To clarify, all living animals are intelligent to *some* degree; they **learn** from external stimuli all around them and *respond* accordingly. For example, a dog may learn to **sit** when it is taught to. This dog, *by definition*, is exhibiting **intelligence**. When we look at artificial, **man-made** machines; giving them the ability to *learn* from their surroundings and **apply** this new knowledge, without necessarily being **conscious**, yields **Artificial Intelligence**.

https://futureoflife.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/artificial_intelligence_benefits_risk-1400x430.jpg?x89399

## The 3 Types of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial Intelligence can be split into 3 significant categories: **Weak AI**, **Strong AI** and **Artificial Super-Intelligence** [2]. There are many, many examples of AI all around us today; *where* are they and what **categories** do they lie in?
### Weak AI: Artificial Narrow Intelligence
Weak AI is the **simplest form** of Artificial Intelligence; to further clarify, machines that exhibit Weak AI are **intelligent**, but *only* focus on a narrow task [3]. In other words, their intelligence is *constricted* to what they are programmed to do. A fantastic example of Weak AI is Apple’s **SIRI**; it is *somewhat* capable of holding conversation with real people and can crack a joke here and there. When you speak to SIRI, it **feeds** this information into a large database and *learns* how to respond from experience of being asked similar questions. Its limits can be demonstrated by asking it something it is **not programmed to process**, thus yielding inaccurate results. In addition, all SIRI can do is **talk**, you *cannot* ask it to physically pass you your TV remote; hence why it is categorised as **Weak AI**. Other examples include: **Google Maps**, **Amazon’s Alexa**, the CPU opponent you play with on **chess** and **Facebook**; [click here](https://www.techemergence.com/everyday-examples-of-ai/) to see other examples and more importantly, *why* they are examples.

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### Strong AI: Artificial General Intelligence
The next step up the ladder is **Strong AI**, or, **Artificial General Intelligence**. Developing a machine for it to exhibit Strong AI, means it must have the same **intellectual capability** as a human, to *function* like one; in other words, Artificial General Intelligence is when the machine can *think* **just as well** as you and me [4]. We are still a **long way away** from achieving this; in fact, some Scientists *doubt* we will **ever** program and produce such technology. Surprisingly, it is a lot **easier** to code a machine that solves **advanced calculus** than to get it to **walk up the stairs**; so, what will happen to the world once we are able to create an intelligence that *competes* with our own?
#### Recursive Self-Improvement: Machine Learning
The **main difference** between Weak AI and Strong AI, is that Strong AI will have the capability of **learning** and *upgrading* itself, without the need of a human [5]. Just like a baby developing into an adult, a machine with a specific **base code** can go on to *develop* itself into a complex structure; this ability is called **Recursive Self-Improvement**, or, **Machine Learning**. At this point, there is no reason for this human-like machine to stop working and will continue to learn and develop. The more intelligent it becomes, the better it will be at self-improving. Consequently, it becomes better and better at learning and further developing; in other words, their intelligence will grow exponentially. It will only be a matter of time before this Strong AI becomes more intelligent than its creator. The point at which this is about to happen is known as the **Singularity**. This is where we reach the third and final step on the AI ladder; **Artificial Super-Intelligence**.

https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/04/13/20/26/artificial-intelligence-2228610_1280.jpg

### Artificial Super-Intelligence (AS-I)
Once Artificial Super-Intelligence is achieved, things get a bit **exciting** and potentially *equally* as **terrifying**. Any machine that has *passed* the Singularity is classed as **super intelligent** [5]. When a self-improving machine reaches such *high* intelligence, there are **no doubts** that it will continue to become increasingly intelligent, very, *very* **fast**. AS-I machines will **single-mindedly** carry out their own aims, whether they agree with ours, **or not**. What does this all mean? 

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#### The Pessimistic Angle of AS-I
While these machines may *not* necessarily want to cause human extinction, they **may** believe that doing so would be of **benefit** to them, so, as a result, they would *not* hesitate to do so. You may assume that intelligence of such a high calibre would have a degree of **empathy** and **respect** for life, as do humans, but a problem arises; **ethicality** and **morality** are both **human traits** [6]. What I mean, is that even we, ourselves, *cannot* **collectively** decide what is **right** and what is **wrong**; for example, **abortion** and **euthanasia**, to say the least; so, how can we ever produce a machine of such intelligence that is deemed **ethical** and **moral**?
#### The Optimistic Angle of AS-I
Thankfully, there is a **more optimistic** side to such technology. People believe that these machines will have ‘human safety’ *engrained* into their **base code**; in other words, they will remain our **servants**. Their sole purpose will not *only* be to serve us, but to **help** us by **combining** all of this **intelligence** to *unlock* more and more mysteries of our Universe. This collaboration of high intelligence can help us solve even the **hardest of problems** in ways that we could *never* have imagined before!

https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/03/23/09/34/artificial-intelligence-2167835_960_720.jpg

## Conclusion
The principle of AI, in my opinion, is an incredibly **exciting** one; but I also do believe that developing such high levels of intelligence is like **treading** on **thin ice**. If AS-I machines consider human extinction to be of any **benefit** to them, I believe that machines of such high capabilities may easily *surpass* any **initial base code**… due to such intelligence. It would almost be like a human born into an **atheist background**, *surpassing* previous beliefs and **following** a **specific religion**. If a human can alter their 'base code' (in machine terms), a machine **more intelligent** than a human *surely* can too. On the other hand, if AS-I machines believe our survival is of **benefit** to them, we, collectively, can work together and unlock mysteries of the Universe, together, and discover things we **never** thought we would!

I will leave you with another quote by the famous Stephen Hawking:
> “The rise of powerful AI will be either the best, or the worst thing, ever to happen to humanity. We do not yet know which.”

**If you have any questions, leave them below and until next time, take care.**

**~ Mystifact**
***
**References:**
[1]: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/intelligence
[2]: https://javasingularity.wordpress.com/2015/05/26/three-types-of-ai/
[3]: [https://www.techopedia.com/definition/3162](https://www.techopedia.com/definition/31621/weak-artificial-intelligence-weak-ai)
[4]: [https://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/](https://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~arihuang/academic/research/strongai3.html)
[5]: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TRv0cXUVQw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TRv0cXUVQw)
[6]: https://www.diffen.com/difference/Ethics_vs_Morals

Please note; no copyright infringement is intended. All images used have been labelled for re-use on Google Images. If any artist or designer has any issues with any of the content used in this article, please don’t hesitate to contact me to correct the issue.

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