AI's Uncertain Path Beyond Buzzwords

Predicting the future of AI is fraught with uncertainty, as experts recognize the difficulty in anticipating developments. The term 'AI' serves as an umbrella for diverse interpretations, ranging from advanced computing to simple applications. The discourse of the 2010s featured contrasting views: one emphasizing a god-like intelligence as posited by Nick Bostrom and the other highlighting basic surveillance technologies as illustrated by Kaifu Li, framing a potentially totalitarian use of AI by China. The advent of tools like ChatGPT marked a shift, revealing capabilities that were neither purely oriented towards superintelligence nor limited to surveillance, demonstrating a more nuanced evolution of AI capability and application.