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With the advent of self-driving cars, smart home networks and machines that can replace our workers in factories across the globe, artificial intelligence has made its presence known in most of our lives. What are the capabilities and limitations of these technologies? Leading experts in AI design and manufacturing chime in during the DW Documentary production The Big Reset 2.0.
In one warehouse in Germany, we witness a mechanical arm struggling to pick up and transport a pair of pliers from one bin to the next. Unfamiliar with the shape, weight and proper grip required to perform this exercise, the machine’s AI functions help it refine and relearn the task until it’s completed successfully. This is an example of a technology in its early stages of development – a self-learning machine that can function on its own database of programmed reasoning.
For more delicate tasks requiring a high degree of precision or repetition, these technologies are already surpassing their human counterparts. But they’re a long way off from mastering the complex sensory capabilities of our species.
The film presents the development and use of AI as an ongoing balance between rewards and risks.
Driven by a tragic climbing accident that cost him his legs, a developer in New Hampshire has crafted artificial limbs that function intuitively courtesy of AI. These systems help to empower the disabled as they work to regain an active quality of life.
On the other hand, information technology companies utilize AI to tailor content around our browsing habits. This impressive functionality is a double-edged sword; it offers a greater degree of convenience for users, but it can also be employed to propagate fake news.
Even given the current limitations of AI technologies, it’s crucial to consider where it might lead in the future. After all, the evolution of smarter and more versatile AI is moving at a record pace. That’s the primary theme of the film. At what point might AI replace humans altogether? When should we step in to place restrictions on this progression? The Big Reset 2.0 warns that if we don’t take action now, we might lose our value in society before we even realize it.
