Bhubaneswar, March 2: As the buzz grows louder around the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI), an internationally known expert on the subject has said that machines will become capable, smarter and even surpass human intelligence.
“Machines will not only be able to learn but they will learn how to learn,” Prof. (Dr.) Jonnie Penn, Professor of AI Ethics and Society, University of Cambridge and Faculty Affiliate, Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, Harvard University, said while speaking at an International AI Conclave organised at the SOA Deemed to be University on Monday.
Delivering the keynote address at the conclave on the theme ‘India’s AI Future—Role of Academia, Industry, Research and Innovation’, Prof. (Dr.) Penn said AI was not in the news 15 years ago as it is today with the development making people ponder over its future impact.
Prof. (Dr.) Penn spoke about the economics of AI dubbing it as ‘intention economy’ saying it could maximize the likelihood of achieving a given aim. He also explained AI’s impact on the socio-technical sphere and how it would relate to climate change.
The program, which was presided over by SOA Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda, was addressed by Mr. Dharmakumar Seeraj, Ambassador of Guyana to India, Mr. Karlito Nunes, Ambassador of Timor-Leste to India and Ms. Arlette Gabriela Bustamante Garcia, Counsellor, Embassy of Bolivia in India.
Prof. Prasanta Kumar Patra, Pro-Vice Chancellor of SOA, delivered the welcome address while Prof. Jyoti Ranjan Das, Dean (Students’ Welfare) coordinated the event.
Mr. Seeraj said that while AI was poised to affect humanity on a daily basis, it was incumbent on all to keep in step with the development. “AI is here to stay and play an expanding role in our lives while affecting the economy and development,” he said.
Addressing the widespread concern about the possibility of AI triggering loss of jobs in a big way, Mr. Seeraj said it would not be a threat for those who are AI trained and know how to use it. “Jobs of those who are AI trained are not in jeopardy,” he said.
Prof. Nanda said there was no threat of snatching away job but it would support everyone’s profession. But a person with knowledge of AI would replace a person without this knowledge in the future, he said.
