Walter Bini
Healthpoint Hospital, Abu Dhabi-UAE
Title: Artificial intelligence (AI): Is this really what we need?
Biography
Biography: Walter Bini
Abstract
Throughout the world there is an ever increasing hype regarding AI, its potential and everyone is so convinced of its endless benefits. Experts seem to agree that by or soon after 2030, machine intelligence will supersede human intelligence and life as we know it will change. The learning process, memories as well as our emotions that make us who we are, including our common sense, decisions, intuitions, morality, free will and consciousness are part of our brain and heart axis as well as of our environment. Can or should this be replicated? Where are we heading and for what or with what intentions or consequences? Perhaps we need to take a step back and look at the beginning, at the book of Genesis. Michelangelo in his famous painting depicted God wrapped in a shape that represents the brain endowing Adam with life and also intelligence. There is a merger between brain and human intelligence, our human existence and the axis between brain-intelligence and the heart-emotions. The present ongoing and it seems unstoppable trend of a human-AI revolution has opened a Pandora’s Box with some possibilities but also difficulties, questions and potential problems. For example, imagine a certain decision we take intuitively (brain/heart ) but an artificial intelligence machine knows or prefers an alternative answer or decision and suppresses via a neural code certain brain regions and therefore changes our own decision, who is in control now? Who are we then? EEG and fMRI are our working tools for further ideas on merging human and artificial intelligence machines and this augmented human intelligence is full of both promises but also pitfalls and perhaps the key is in that we do not fall to the temptation of playing or assuming the role of God. Our journey into the profound corners of our brain, mind and connection with the heart remains a long and mysterious undertaking. We definitely should refrain from manipulating for we are risking our individuality and personal intrinsic nature.