Many people are nowadays raving and going crazy about Artificial Intelligence, the latest fad and fancy in the world, as if it can solve all the problems facing mankind.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_intelligence
https://www.ibm.com/topics/artificial-intelligence
https://www.britannica.com/technology/artificial-intelligence
A huge amount of money is being invested in AI
Exaggerated claims are being made about it
https://indicanews.com/artificial-intelligence-might-replace-humans-in-social-science-research/
https://indicanews.com/has-artificial-intelligence-already-become-human-like/
https://indicanews.com/artificial-intelligence-revolutionary-without-being-evolutionary/
https://indicanews.com/artificial-intelligence-is-pervasive/
India is being referred to as one of the potential leaders in this field
https://indicanews.com/india-poised-to-become-global-artificial-intelligence-hub-stephen-ibaraki/
https://indicanews.com/india-chair-global-partnership-on-artificial-intelligence/
However, I have a different opinion.
The basic problems of the underdeveloped countries of the world, i.e. countries of Asia ( except China and Japan ), Africa and Latin America, ( which comprise about 70% of the world’s population ), and even pockets in the developed countries, are socio-economic viz massive poverty, massive unemployment, massive malnutrition, soaring prices of essential commodities like food, fuel, and medicines, lack of proper healthcare, good education and housing for the masses, etc.
How can AI solve these problems ? Does it have a magic wand to do so ? I doubt it can do anything about them.
To divert attention of the people from these real problems the rulers resort to various tactics. For example, the Roman Emperors used to say ” If you cannot give the people bread, give them circuses ( or gladiator contests ) ”. Some ‘shagoofa’ is needed all the time, to keep people away from the path of revolt against their miserable plight, e.g. the Metoo Movement, which was the fashionable thing at one time.
I am not saying that AI is something useless. For instance, it can be helpful in the medical field. But how many people in underdeveloped countries can even afford to go to a proper hospital or qualified doctor where AI can be applied ? The vast majority go to quacks.
In other fields too AI may be helpful. But it has two drawbacks.
(1) It is wrong to say that AI can perform all the functions of the human mind. A human brain has something which not even the best, latest, and fastest super computer can ever have viz creativity. And it is creativity which is required to solve the basic socio-economic problems of the people mentioned above..
(2) AI will not give the correct answer to a question if that answer goes against the interest of the rulers. For instance, if we ask how can poverty, unemployment, hunger, malnutrition, lack of proper healthcare and good education for the masses etc be abolished in underdeveloped countries, AI cannot give the correct answer viz a mighty historical people’s struggle and people’s revolution.
https://indicanews.com/justice-markandey-katju-the-coming-great-revolution-in-india/
https://indicanews.com/justice-markandey-katju-the-grand-indian-theorem/
