Letters | Rather than fear an AI Armageddon, why not find a companionable coexistence?

Readers discuss a way forward for humans and robots, bans on ChatGPT, and what the ‘Happy Hong Kong’ campaign can’t fix

Reading Time:3 minutes

The eminently huggable Baymax and tech prodigy Hiro in the animation film Big Hero 6. Photo: Disney handout

Published: 11:30am, 16 Apr 2023Updated: 2:57pm, 16 Apr 2023

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Two recent articles on artificial intelligence – “How Hong Kong can play a role in preventing AI Armageddon” (April 7) and “Rise of the robots … in dining and retail: Hong Kong’s restaurants, shops turn to technology to beat manpower crunch” (April 7) – make for interesting reading.

Hardly a day goes by without the media – mass and social – bombarding mere mortals like me with updates on the development of technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, big data, Internet of Things, blockchain, NFTs (non-fungible tokens) and cryptocurrency. More than terms that have entered our lexicon, these technologies have walked into our lives.

They revolutionise life on seemingly every level – from economic activity, scientific research and weather forecasts to delivery of services, completion of household chores and even essay writing.

This golden age of innovation and technology brings unprecedented convenience, efficiency and safety, yet comes with a caveat: pundits have warned of the dire consequences of AI potentially taking over the world.

Talk of an AI Armageddon has inspired Hollywood blockbusters like The Terminator, The Matrix and I, Robot, while offering much food for thought. Can humankind be a master of AI rather than its slave? I believe we can, as long as regulation keeps a lid on things. This does not mean excessive limitations that stunt AI growth, but prudent and conscientious efforts that ensure AI development abides by a code of conduct in line with morality and the ethical use of information.