Over the past few years, we have seen machines become increasingly intelligent. Real-time voice translation programmes, smart thermostats, and inbuilt sensors are making the objects around us more responsive and intuitive.
In fact, at this year’s CES convention, the technology world pledged its biggest ever commitment to the Internet of Things (IoT). Samsung, for example, promised that in five years’ time, every piece of hardware it makes will be IoT-ready. Google’s smart thermostat, Nest, announced 15 new hardware partners, whilst many of the devices on display were already certified to meet Apple’s HomeKit IOT standard.
However, such moves towards a future founded upon intelligent machines haven’t been without its critics. Stephen Hawking has predicted that at its full development Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be “the biggest event in human history” but “might also be the last”. Elon Musk of Tesla Motors and SpaceX has urged more investigation into the area, joining with leading futurists at Google and the Future of Life Institute in calling for further research into ways to avoid the potential pitfalls of AI....