A look through recent articles about artificial intelligence reveals a range of reactions to its rapid development. As with new inventions and ideas, some of us gravitate toward them, eagerly exploring their possibilities for making life better; others are uneasy, convinced they are a source of mischief and tragedy. Most are curious, waiting to see where things might be headed. Here at BoomerTECH Adventures, we’ve had interesting conversations about and experiences with artificial intelligence, or AI.

We are reminded that all technology is human-made with the intent of extending our capacity to affect the natural environment for our benefit. There’s a clear line connecting current technological developments with the first humans millions of years ago who picked up a stick or a rock to open a nut, increasing their food supply. It didn’t take long for them to use the same tools against one another to gain an advantage. All technological advances have the simultaneous capacity for positive and negative consequences. The history of inventions shows that it is impossible to predict what the ultimate impact of technological change will be on the natural world and on ourselves.

Even if the intent of the inventor is to improve the quality of life, there are unintended consequences. In our conversations, we concluded that awareness of potential positives and negatives might be a responsible strategy for using any new tool, including AI. In an effort to raise our own awareness and as an experiment in using AI, we asked Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence app what the top five potential benefits and dangers of AI for humanity in the future might be. Here’s the question we asked and what Gemini came up with.

What are the top five potential benefits and dangers of AI for humanity in the future?

Gemini: Here are five potential benefits and dangers of AI for humanity in the future.

Benefits

1. Solving global challenges: AI excels at analyzing massive datasets and identifying complex patterns. This can be leveraged to tackle pressing issues like climate change, disease outbreaks and poverty.

• Example: AI models can predict extreme weather events more accurately, allowing for better disaster preparedness.

2. Revolutionizing health care: AI can personalize medicine, accelerate drug discovery and improve patient outcomes.

• Example: AI-powered diagnostics can detect diseases earlier and more accurately than human doctors.

3. Boosting economic growth: Automation powered by AI can increase efficiency and productivity across industries, leading to economic growth and job creation in new sectors.

• Example: AI-powered robots can perform complex surgeries with greater precision and less invasiveness.

4. Scientific breakthroughs: AI can accelerate scientific research by analyzing vast amounts of data, identifying new hypotheses and designing experiments.

• Example: AI can help astronomers analyze astronomical data and discover new exoplanets.

5. Enhancing daily life: AI is already improving our daily lives through conveniences like voice assistants, personalized recommendations and more efficient transportation.

• Example: Self-driving cars have the potential to reduce traffic accidents and improve accessibility for people with disabilities.

Dangers

1. Job displacement: As AI automates tasks previously performed by humans, there is a risk of significant job displacement across various sectors.

• Example: Automation in manufacturing could lead to widespread job losses in factory settings.

2. Bias and discrimination: AI systems learn from the data they are trained on, which can reflect and amplify existing biases present in society.

• Example: AI-powered recruitment tools may inadvertently discriminate against certain demographic groups.

3. Autonomous weapons: The development of autonomous weapons systems raises serious ethical concerns about the potential for machines to make life-or-death decisions without human oversight.

• Example: Lethal autonomous weapons systems could be used in warfare without human intervention.

4. Loss of human control: As AI systems become more sophisticated, there is a risk of losing control over their actions and decision-making processes.

• Example: A superintelligent AI could develop goals that are incompatible with human values.

5. Existential risks: Some experts warn of the potential for superintelligent AI to pose an existential threat to humanity, potentially surpassing human intelligence and control.

• Example: A hypothetical scenario where a superintelligent AI decides that humanity is a threat to its own existence.

Important note: These are just a few of the many potential benefits and dangers of AI. The actual impact of AI on humanity will depend on how we develop and deploy this technology responsibly.

Disclaimer: This information is for general knowledge and discussion purposes only.

We felt that Gemini came up with a good list with some items and examples we would have missed as well as some we felt were obvious. While Gemini’s response is interesting, and could be expanded simply by rephrasing the question, requesting a longer list or asking for more specific examples, the most important note is that “the actual impact of AI on humanity will depend on how we develop and employ this technology.” This note connects right back to those early humans we mentioned earlier, and how they chose to employ those sticks and stones they fashioned into tools millions of years in the past.

Our mission at BoomerTECH Adventures is to help everyone to make the most of their digital technology to enhance their lives. Our hope and wish for you in the new year is to make a conscious choice to use your technology to benefit yourselves and humanity. Here’s to a happy and safe 2025 to everyone!

BoomerTECH Adventures (boomertechadventures.com) helps boomers and older adults navigate the digital world with confidence and competence. Active boomers themselves, they use their backgrounds as Maine teachers to support individuals and groups with online courses through Maine Adult Education (tinyurl.com/BTAclasses) articles, videos and presentations to organizations upon request.