The Robots are Taking Over! Why Worry? On AI and Existential Risk - 2024 Updated

AI can have transformative potential for society, especially when used with the appropriate safeguards in place to protect against harms. With the rising applications of AI, some can feel that robots are starting to take over. Depending on the use case of the AI, who is affected, and their familiarity with the technology, this perception can be positive or negative.In this pre-print of our paper that is under peer review, we explore perceptions of robots (AI) taking over.

We start by disentangling robots and AI, noting that although they are distinct technologies, they can also be viewed as one and the same. We then explore positive and negative perceptions of robots taking over and the sources of different types of views including the media and the role of education.

We propose that AI is a powerful technology that, when harnessed in the right way with appropriate safeguards, can revolutionize medicine, scientific discovery, and education for example. Moreover, we suggest the apprehension around AI could be reduced through education and actively asking questions. As such we present a road map for embracing AI more confidently in a way that keeps in mind its limitations so as to not become over-reliant on it.