Artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing at an unprecedented pace, and AI-powered technologies such as ChatGPT are increasingly being utilized by society.
While language is highly complex, from syntax and grammar to nuances of tone and context, ChatGPT has been trained on a massive corpus of text – allowing it to generate responses in a wide range of prompts in a way that is often indistinguishable from human communication.
While these technologies have the potential to revolutionize how we live and work, they do pose serious risks to society - like their use for malicious purposes. Deepfake technology, for example, has been used to create convincing fake videos and audio recordings, which could be used for everything from political propaganda to financial fraud.
Similarly, in the military, ethical concerns are being raised with lethal autonomous weapons (LAWs) and AI-guided swarms of combat drones, for example.
Another concern is the impact of AI language models on privacy and security. As these systems generate responses based on large amounts of data, there is a risk that sensitive information could be inadvertently exposed.
Despite these challenges, the potential of AI technology like ChatGPT is too great to ignore. The system has already been used to significantly advance natural language processing, machine learning, and robotics. Developers also utilize the technology to write codes and programs.
And as the technology continues to evolve, there is no doubt that it will profoundly impact how society lives and works.
Regulating AI is not about stifling innovation or progress. Instead, it is about ensuring that the technology is used to benefit society as a whole. Thankfully, the federal government recognized the need through the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA), a component of Bill C-27, tabled in June of 2022.
AIDA’s future remains unknown, and the specifics are not yet determined. But when it comes to recognizing AI’s capacity – it’s a start.
