It is the stuff of science fiction or at least it used to be. A computer able to master an ancient Chinese board game without human help to win every time and a truck that drives itself computers and vehicles powered by artificial intelligence. Now leading academics are warning not to put the brakes on AI but that the technology is increasingly being used for malicious purposes for political or financial gain to extort and to gain influence.

Sean O Heigeartaigh, University of Cambridge

“Cyberattacks our infrastructure as we’ve seen in Ukraine and on attacks on computers and hospitals manipulating people for example we’ve seen some attempts to manipulate and political elections in the US and in Europe recently now those have been varying degrees of effectiveness with the techniques we have to date but artificial intelligence will allow new types of cyber attacks that might be more capable than what we’ve had before.”

From health care to warfare machine based thinking is revolutionizing the way we live exposing us to the benefits and the risks.

Emma Hayward, Cambridge

“The robot here has been designed to pick up these little bricks and put them back on the green mat now this is just a laboratory setting but in five or ten years time it could be developed to work on a construction site or at a port and the designer wouldn’t want the technology hijacked.”

The report’s authors are calling on governments and the industry itself to do more to protect us from all the pitfalls. Experts warn of the serious consequences.

Will Crosthwait, A.I.Consultant

“It’s absolutely right that we issue warnings with AI because the capabilities and the possibilities for it going wrong are absolutely they could be absolutely tragic. We need to be able to get to grips with this now.”

Artificial Intelligence is clearly here to stay and staying one step ahead of those who want to abuse it will be a constant challenge.

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