8 Terrifying Truths About Artificial Intelligence

We are living in the era of the fourth industrial revolution, where robotics, smart devices, and especially artificial intelligence (AI) have become part of our everyday routine. There’s no question that AI is capable of a lot of good things these days, but as it evolves, so do the dangers. These 8 facts reveal how AI may reshape our world in terrible ways.

8. Your Self-Driving Car Might Be Programmed to Sacrifice You

Imagine this scenario: you’re cruising around in your sweet ride when a group of kids suddenly dart out onto the road. Your brakes fail, leaving you with the choice of plowing into them or swerving into the wall, potentially killing yourself in the process. Although many would be willing to risk their own life, who wants to allow their self-driving car to make that decision for them?

Surveys show people wouldn’t buy cars programmed to sacrifice their passengers, even if it’s the “ethical” choice. Well, this could be an issue if you opt for cars that use Google AI. The company has admitted its cars are programmed to avoid hitting pedestrians, even if that means driving off a cliff. It even holds a patent for tech that guides its cars away from larger objects and toward smaller ones. That “smaller” object could very well be you.