Artificial intelligence (AI) has already transformed our lives - from autonomous cars on the road to robotic vacuum cleaners and smart thermostats in homes. Over the next 15 years, AI technologies will be deployed in virtually every area of life - from education and entertainment to health and safety.
The question is, are we ready for this? Have the answers been found to all the legal and ethical problems that surely arise from the growing integration of AI into everyday life? Are such topical questions raised at all?
A group of scientists and philosophers decided to look into the future, until 2030, to predict how advances in AI could affect the life of a typical North American city, and to initiate discussions about how to develop these technologies safely, impartially and profitably.
Chair of the Standing Committee of this large study, Harvard Professor Barbara Gross, says: “It's time to discuss the goals and ethical and political issues that AI technology poses. If we start addressing these issues now and take it seriously, then we will have more efficient systems in the future that are better aligned with the policies that govern their use.”
University of Texas researcher Peter Stone argues: "These technologies will create significant problems affecting jobs, incomes and other issues that we need to tackle now to ensure the benefits of their implementation."
The report examines eight areas of human activity in which AI technologies are already affecting the lives of urban residents and will become even more widespread by 2030: transportation, robotization of homes / services, healthcare, education, entertainment, communities with limited resources, public safety, employment and jobs.
The biggest challenges in the next 15 years will be building safe and reliable hardware for autonomous machines and robots for healthcare; increasing public confidence in artificial intelligence systems, especially among the population of territories with limited resources; and overcoming fears that technology will restrict people's access to jobs.
In terms of responsibility and accountability, it also raises questions like - Who will be responsible when an AI medical device fails or when an autonomous car crashes? How can AI be prevented from being used for racial discrimination or financial fraud?
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The report does not suggest solutions; rather, it encourages discussion among scientists, ethicists, politicians, representatives of various industries and the general public.
Sergey Lukavsky