Published on September 29th, 2018 | by Júlio Ventura

Artificial Intelligence versus Human Intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) is in the news a lot at the moment and has become part of our lives more than ever before, being used on apps, AI personal assistants, social media and even online shopping. The advances we’ve made in technology over the last few years are staggering, but some of them are also a cause for concern, with some critics arguing that a machine will never be able to replicate the empathy and understanding that makes us human.

However, Chris Bishop, Director of Microsoft Research in Cambridge, believes we don’t need to worry just yet.

“Any scenario in which [AI] is an existential threat to humanity is not just around the corner… right now we are in control of that technology and we can make lots of choices about the paths that we follow.”

And there are plenty of possibilities when it comes to AI. For example, it doesn’t forget things and it’s not influenced by external factors, so it’s excellent for security. However, in the wrong hands, it could be programmed to cause a lot of harm, so human intelligence is not fully replaceable just yet.

Likewise, while humans are able to be creative, narrow AI can only complete activities within a predefined range. However, general AI is more advanced and can adapt in order to complete new requests by referring to its previous experiences — without any help from a human. One thing is for certain — AI is a complex topic, and shouldn’t be taken lightly. New infographic Rise of the Machines: How AI is beating humanity at its own game aims to remove some of the confusion surrounding AI. What types of AI are there? How do they compare to human intelligence? And how could it make our lives easier?

Tags: AI, artificial intelligence, infographic

About the Author

Júlio Ventura Digital Marketer, Webmaster, Writer, and Tech Enthusiast. Undergraduate in Translation from Faculty of Letters in Lisbon, Portugal. Postgraduate in Digital Marketing from Lusofona University in Lisbon. On a quest for further knowledge.