Do you believe the benefits of AI outweigh the dangers? Why or why not?

Socrates famously once said, “The only thing that I know for certain, is that I know nothing.”

I have always looked to this quote to remind myself to stay humble, studious, and to be careful with opinions. Considering this, do I believe that the benefits of AI outweigh the dangers? I do not know how to answer the question because my thoughts are somewhere in the middle.

This is because I don’t believe AI is good or bad. This is because I think both the pros and the cons deserve to be discussed to develop a better and more robust AI, a more effective tool.

It is another tool we are starting to incorporate into our everyday lives. There is a lot of false information and click-bait-inspired fear and confusion about what AI is and what it is being used for. AI is a powerful tool, and it is a great responsibility. How we approach it presents a question about who we are and where this tool can lead us.

I will ask, is a gardening hoe a good or a bad tool? It can certainly be used to cultivate soil and remove weeds; one would argue that this is good. However, because of its sharp edge, it can also be used as a weapon. Even a human being in the workplace is a thinking machine, similar to how AI can be used. A human being can either ask if you want to pay for debit or credit, or it can create an atomic bomb. Dr. Laura Rosella, PhD, this past London Health Research Day held at the University of Western Ontario 2024, spoke about AI. Her talk was titled The AI Tipping Point: Future Directions for the Applications of AI for Health. It was a compelling and provoking discussion about how AI should be developed with a strong sense of humanity and compassion involved — from its inception towards its implementation.

If this tool is used with compassion, humility, and nothing short of the best intentions possible, then where is the harm in utilizing it? AI is here to stay, whether we like it or not.

Importantly, we can be the moral compass for how AI can be developed and utilized moving forward. The point that stood out to me is that learning as much as possible about AI, how it is being used to help others and how it is being developed is a good thing. Rather than focusing on a negative future like those portrayed by popular media like The Terminator series or The Matrix movies, the future looks much more hopeful because of incredible minds working towards the betterment of others.

Instead of falling into the accessible clickbait-inspired titles, I present the following perspective: AI is not horrible. Do your research and learn how AI is developed. Talk to those developing AI and learn about the tool from their viewpoint. This will provide more clarity on what is being developed and why.

Along the way, who knows? Maybe you will be inspired to become more educated on the subject matter. While at the same time approaching life with a stronger clarity and understanding.

Therefore, I neither preach about the pros nor the cons. The technology is here, it is being developed. What I am asking for, is humility, before the tool itself. The unknown becomes a lot less scary the more we know.