Scientist says AI will cause virus outbreak, nuclear war and human extinction

15.08.2023 - 08:27 / tech.hindustantimes.com / James Cameron / Ai / Will

The fear of artificial intelligence (AI) endangering human existence is not new. Since AI first began making waves, experts have expressed concern about this technology that can hypothetically even gain sentience one day. In 1950, American writer Isaac Asimov published his book "I, Robot", which explored this theme. Then, in 1984, James Cameron's film The Terminator took the stage and showcased the killer AI that caused the apocalypse. However, in 2023, those who are expressing concerns are entrepreneurs that are working with this technology, governments, and AI scientists themselves. Recently, one AI expert stated that AI will cause the first extinction event for humans by triggering events such as nuclear war and virus outbreaks.

The horrifying statement comes from the former Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and scientist Shekhar Mande who said that artificial intelligence will be the first cause of human extinction and that event will be preceded by nuclear warfare and the outbreak of deadly viruses. And both of these events will also be triggered by AI, as per a report by the Indian Express.

Mande was speaking about a survey on Saturday, as a part of a ten-part lecture series titled ‘Life, Science and Everything' that is being organized by Persistent University in Aryabhatta Pingala, Erandwane in Pune. The lecture series will begin on August 19 and will continue till October 7. You can find more details about the lecture series here.

There is a possibility of these scary projections coming true. For instance, AI is already being used in research to create powerful antibiotics that can kill potent bacteria. With years of advancement, it is very possible that AI can also understand and exploit the RNA structure in viruses to help create deadly viruses. Similarly, an advanced AI being put in the position to control nuclear weaponry is also not outside the realm of possibility. So, a glitch in the system, a bad actor, or even a hacking incident can trigger the system into either creating and releasing viruses into the world or just pushing the launch button of a nuclear warhead. And this is not even considering the possibility of AI gaining sentience.

This is why many are now calling for regulation in the AI space. Governments have already begun taking steps in order to create better transparency around AI and to create strict rules around it.