UK Parliament Launches Investigation Into Future Of AI

The UK parliament has called on a Select Committee to carry out research into the future implications of artificial intelligence (AI).

The study will look into the economic, ethical and social implications of advances in the technology, examining a range of topics including the current state of AI and how it might develop in the future given the pace of technological change.

The committee is already calling for evidence and accepting submissions from any relevant parties, with the report scheduled for 31 March 2018.

AI future

Given the potential of AI, there are of course plenty of areas to consider, such as the impact of AI on society, the public perceptions of the technology, the sectors most and least likely to benefit from it and the future ethical implications.

The committee will also focus on the data-based monopolies of large corporations and the government’s role in fostering an environment for future development.

Lord Clement-Jones, Chairman of the Committee, said: “This inquiry comes at a time when artificial intelligence is increasingly seizing the attention of industry, policymakers and the general public. The Committee wants to use this inquiry to understand what opportunities exist for society in the development and use of artificial intelligence, as well as what risks there might be.

We are looking to be pragmatic in our approach, and want to make sure our recommendations to Government and others will be practical and sensible. There are significant questions to address relevant to both the present and the future, and we want to help inform the answers to them. To do this, we need the help of the widest range of people and organisations.”

Artificial Intelligence has quickly become one of the buzzwords in technology, attracting investment from the world’s biggest companies and being the subject of continuous innovation.

For example, Facebook recently started using AI to combat terrorism and Fujitsu is using to help detect potholes on roads before they emerge.

However a recent report by Gartner warned that technology companies are in danger of diluting the meaning of the term by claiming AI is in every single product.

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