In this blog post, we will explore the fundamental reasons why humans are so focused on developing artificial intelligence from the perspectives of evolution and intellectual advancement.
Although the hype seems to have died down now, artificial intelligence was a hot topic not long ago with the match between AlphaGo and Lee Sedol. Artificial intelligence is a technology that enables computers to mimic activities such as thinking, learning, and developing certain abilities that can be performed by human intelligence, thereby reproducing intelligent human behavior. The term “artificial intelligence” was first coined in 1956 as “AI,” and as is widely known, its development began with the primary goal of solving complex problems. Furthermore, in the early stages of technological development, computers were simply designed to solve problems given by humans, but as they gradually advanced, the goal became to program machines to make active choices, just as humans do, by making independent judgments when encountering problems.
The development of artificial intelligence technology is interesting in itself, but it is also important to look at the various factors that made it possible. For example, the development of deep learning algorithms has greatly improved the performance of AI. Deep learning is a method of analyzing and learning data using neural networks, and has shown excellent results in image recognition and voice recognition in particular. In addition, the development of cloud computing has enabled the processing and storage of vast amounts of data. This has played a very important role in AI research and development.
Although it is not yet complete, the recent emergence of big data research and rapid advances in hardware capable of processing astronomical amounts of data have led to the near completion of AI that can calculate the gains and losses of various options in a given situation and make the most “rational” choice. Representative examples of this are the AI AlphaGo, which recently played Go against Lee Sedol, and Google Car, a representative driverless car developed by Google’s Pixel Lab. Both AI systems use big data to determine the optimal choice in each situation and reproduce human “reason” almost perfectly.
So why are humans so obsessed with developing AI? It is easy to think that it is simply because these technologies are promising for the future and therefore must be developed, and that it is inevitable research because large companies such as Google and Samsung are investing so much capital and manpower in it. However, upon deeper consideration, it cannot be viewed as merely an extension of a series of natural developments, such as the agricultural revolution, the industrial revolution, and the information revolution. According to the widely accepted theory of evolution, all living things evolve in order to survive the natural law of the survival of the fittest. Humans are no exception. Although it is not yet a definitive theory, from the perspective of evolution, human evolution is still ongoing. Through technological innovation, humans have overcome their physical limitations and, as a result, have been able to change nature to suit their needs. However, this has also meant that humans no longer have a reason to evolve, and thus evolution has slowed down. In response, humans instinctively began to strive to create entities that could continue the slowed evolution, and one of the products of this effort is artificial intelligence. If artificial intelligence that can think like humans and produce better results is developed, it will not only improve human intellectual abilities but also accelerate the process of overcoming physical limitations.
However, for this process to be possible, we must develop at a faster pace than it took for humanity to reach its current state. This is because as technology advances, more problems arise, and we cannot afford to slow down our intellectual advancement in order to solve them.
So, what does AI need to have in order to accelerate intellectual advancement? According to Thomas Kuhn’s book, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, science and technology accumulate gradually within the paradigm accepted at the time, and when a paradigm that overturns the contradictions accumulated during this “normal state” is presented, science makes a dramatic leap forward. Extending this, intellectual improvement in humans is possible when we break the incomplete framework (or perspective, paradigm) that we currently have. However, looking at the history of science, it takes centuries for that framework to be broken, and humans, who are currently facing countless problems, are bound to fall behind at the current pace. We need artificial intelligence that is capable of independently dealing with problems that we accept as humans, but that is faster than the human brain. This is the inner reason why humans are so focused on developing artificial intelligence.
In conclusion, the development of AI is not simply a technological advancement, but an essential step in the evolution and development of humanity. Through AI, humanity will be able to respond to new challenges and create a better future. The possibilities that AI can offer us are endless, and they depend on future technological developments and human cooperation.
