AI- The fight for control…Should we be concerned?

With the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) well on its way and the embedding of Digital Transformation being accepted as a must-have for business, the world is rapidly changing day to day and even hour after hour. Humanity has never experienced such rapid changes in how things operate, and people interact with each other as now.

The rise and attention of Artificial Intelligence or AI has added a new dimension to these rapid changes that humanity is witnessing. These rapid changes are not ring-fenced to the business world but extend to everything from education to healthcare, transportation, agriculture and the sharing of our information and thoughts.

Artificial Intelligence, whether it is Weak/Narrow AI (also called Traditional AI), focuses on performing specific tasks (e.g., facial recognition, internet searches, voice assistance or driving a car), while Strong (General) AI is a type of AI that can perform any task that a human can; it is capable of broad human-like cognitive capabilities, enabling it to tackle new and unfamiliar tasks autonomously. Strong/General AI is and can revolutionise many aspects of our lives.

Then we have Superintelligent AI; a future form of AI where machines are expected to surpass human intelligence, across multiple dimensions including creativity, general ‘wisdom’ and problem-solving. This radical step in the evolution of AI is feared by many as little is known of what will materialise.

A great concern that is growing globally is how AI will be used. The growth of data, improvement in computing power and higher adoption of cloud computing coupled with the growth of data centers. Technological change has been getting quicker. While the pace of invention may not have accelerated as expected, the time between invention and implementation has been shrinking. We have seen the shortening of Industrial Revolutions, each shorter than the previous. The 1st Industrial Revolution with the invention of the Steam Engine and its subsequent widespread use took around 80 years while that of electricity was only 40 years and a mere 20 years for the computer (IT). We are seeing faster and quicker widespread adoption and implementation of AI-related technologies. Some believe it could be less than 10 years. We are at the start of the most dynamic revolution humanity has ever witnessed.

We are all too familiar with the ‘openness’ of the Chinese society. When I say ‘openness’ I refer to the State knowing anything and everything about its citizens. We all leave digital footprints when we serve the Net, shop online and make electronic payments. China is known to have the largest concentration of digital surveillance cameras. The CCTV market is generally flooded with Chinese-made products from the older analogue to the more digital IP systems.

State surveillance is not new as it is becoming common for citizens to be monitored by their governments in many countries. The Chinese pay almost nothing in cash anymore. Super Apps make life easy. Chinese citizens use multiple online platforms to check the news, exchange text, and videos and just about everything. Everything is linked to the user’s mobile phone number, which serves as their identity. This wealth of data facilitates the collection of vast data that allows the Chinese government to use its advantage in the AI revolution.

Recently we have seen the tension between the world’s two superpowers, the US and China increasing and becoming somewhat heated. Such delicate relationships between two nuclear powers are not what the world wants

China has a stockpile of approximately 438 nuclear warheads, while the United States Department of Defense put the estimate at more than 500 operational nuclear warheads.        

China and the US are in a new race, not over EVs or the space race to Mars but over advanced AI models. AI is certainly getting centre stage here.

There are no formal ‘rules’ in how AI is to be governed, nor are there any agreed guidelines on AI ethics and certainly questions are being raised on the safety elements in the application of AI models and technologies.

The US is known for its decades of innovation. The acceptance of many innovative products is proof of the success that the US has enjoyed for a very long time. The tight industry-academic linkages are evident in the US. Industry works closely with academia, through research programmes and sponsorship.

China has built a strong economy in a relatively short time. China's economy has grown to one of the largest and most powerful in the world over the past few decades. This economic growth has been driven by industrial production and manufacturing exports, China's GDP is now the largest in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP) equivalence. Through this economic growth, China is able to mobilise the necessary funds to facilitate the type of innovation it needs to be regarded as a superpower. The US has a good climate for business, and with its capitalistic and open economy driven by a competitive mindset and theme, the US is positioned to continue its dominance as the economic superpower.

China is faced with socialistic and communistic barriers, rising costs of labour and manufacturing and the growing influence of Western culture on the Chinese youth from clothing to fast food and the movies. ?

China gained immensely when the US firms decided to outsource (offshore) manufacturing for a number of their locally produced products due to the high domestic cost of labour. This provided China with a great opportunity to learn from the US and copy designs and other techniques to establish their own manufacturing capabilities.

We have also seen the growth of the alternate energy supplier market, China is huge on this, one of the key markets supplying the world with solar and power backup solutions and products. China has also become a major manufacturer of electronic products, LED lighting, clothing and vehicular accessories.

More recently we are witnessing the disruption of the Chinese automotive industry across the globe. Here in South Africa, Chinese brands like Chery, Haval, GWM and others are shaking up the local automotive market with their more attractive offerings resulting in many committed and loyal alternate automotive brand fans switching to these Chinese brands. The same has also begun to occur in Australia. The Chinese have been employing AI in their vehicles and manufacturing processes providing a competitive edge that has caught many European and American competitors off-guard.

Chinese has established numerous centres of excellence for AI research which has resulted in the growth of data centres (locally) as AI needs large data. These developments have threatened US companies’ technological edge, with their exclusive access to the high-tech data centers that have been used to train the world’s most advanced AI models.

We are living in interesting yet challenging times. AI is here to stay and is and will make a significant impact on humanity. The US has a track record of innovation and a strong technology industry and adoption across the world. China has gradually been rising amidst its socialist and communist challenges. The word “Chinese junk” was often used with products coming out of China. We often hear the expression, ‘everything we touch’ is made in China or at least part of it”. ?China has evolved into a global powerhouse producing some seriously good quality products that compete directly with the more established nations. This has posed a major threat to the US who have not been ‘cruising’ but actively engaging academia, tech companies and regulators to ensure that the US remains in the AI race and continues to be a leader in the tech space.

From the days of the ‘Cold War” to the current race for superiority in the world of Artificial Intelligence, the US and now China are proving to benefit humanity as competition will bring out the best of the best. AI is already having a serious impact on almost everything we do and these are early days. These two major economies must focus on ensuring that their work and innovation around AI is not for personal gain at the expense of humanity for AI dominance should not result in the ultimate destruction of humanity.

Let the games continue....

Sources:

• Gartner
• University of Vienna
• Forbes
• HBR