Kenneth Gibson: Artificial Intelligence, Future Prosperity, a Threat to
Employment or Existential Threat?—That the Parliament considers that artificial intelligence (AI)
represents a potential asset to Scotland’s economy and could contribute to growth in productivity
and gross domestic product (GDP); acknowledges the findings of the PwC report, The economic
impact of artificial intelligence on the UK economy, which was published in June 2017 and states
that the impact of AI across Scotland’s economy could boost annual GDP by up to £16,700 million
by 2030; realises that the development of AI will require new industries to be formed in order to
supply and service new automated solutions, therefore contributing to net employment growth;
appreciates that Scotland embracing AI technology could bring benefits across society, including
greater prosperity, productivity and more individual leisure time, not least to the people and
communities of Cunninghame North; also notes the Cities Outlook report, published in January
2018, which suggests that 230,000 jobs in Scottish cities could be lost to automation and
globalisation by 2030; is aware however, that some experts in the field of AI fear that its
development will ultimately be detrimental to humanity, a matter often raised in science fiction;
understands that Professor Kevin Warwick, of Coventry University, attests that networked AI
systems cannot be just “switched off” when they go rogue, which is a particular problem in military
applications where AI is currently being developed; understands that the Tesla car maker, Elon
Musk, asserts AI to be as big a threat to humanity as climate change or nuclear war; believes that,
in California, a “singularity”, which will be an ultra-intelligent machine that can make itself even
more clever will have been developed within three or four decades; notes the view that, to ensure
systems are developed in a responsible and controlled way, open up economic opportunities and
minimise potential threats, a debate on AI and its implications for Scotland is long overdue;
concludes that AI and its growing importance is an issue of global significance, and notes calls for
the Parliament to address this.
Published by the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body.
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