Jim Al-Khalili: Why AI is not the enemy

Jim Al-Khalili explains how artificial intelligence has changed the world, who benefits from it, and why we probably shouldn't be afraid of it destroying humanity.

Published: August 30, 2018 at 9:15 am

Today there is barely any device that doesn’t have a computer brain powering it under the hood, but how smart really is this artificial intelligence? We seem happy to let AI improve our smartphone photos, or turn the lights on when it gets dark, but the thought of it autonomously driving our cars leaves some of us uneasy. And of course, there is the dystopian vision of the future with robot terminators enslaving humanity.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

In this Science Focus Podcast, Alexander McNamara speaks to theoretical physicist Prof Jim Al-Khalili ahead of his new BBC Four documentary, The Joy of AI, in which he explores the history of artificial intelligence, what it can do today, and why embracing the positives of AI into our lives can lead to a better future for all.

The Joy of AI is on BBC Four, Tuesday 4 September at 21:00.

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