Era Of Artificial Superintelligence – What Lies In It For Us?

Vishaal

July 14, 2023

Last updated: August 13, 2024

Era Of Artificial Superintelligence – An Introduction

AI is the latest buzzword in the tech space as there is a significant increase in its adoption by various platforms. Although the term was coined 60 years ago, AI has mastered the subtle art of being human at a stunning speed over recent years, especially with the deployment of generative AI platforms like ChatGPT.

Well, what’s next for AI? It is making great strides in the lab, so are we close to creating artificial superintelligence (ASI)? If so, what is its place in the fourth industrial revolution? Will we be seeing another AI hype cycle? Well, definitely not, as ASI has the potential to change the world completely.

What is the big deal about Artificial Superintelligence? Needless to say, James Cameron came into the limelight with his science-fiction franchise ‘The Terminator’ which was from his nightmare about a metal monster. You might remember the terrifying Skynet, a self-aware artificial intelligence that decides to wipe out humanity. It is an ideal example of what some people call artificial superintelligence (ASI).

Do you think it is possible to create such a system?

Moving on, forget all the scenarios depicted in science fiction where it will lead to a dystopian future. It can be defined as the hypothetical scenario where an AI system becomes smarter than all humans combined. But what exactly is artificial superintelligence and how is it different from other types of AI?

In this blog post, we will explore all these questions, the future aspects of Artificial Superintelligence, and more into the world of superintelligence.

Why Is Artificial Superintelligence Such A Big Deal?

Artificial superintelligence is popularly known as the ultimate goal of some AI researchers. It is said that the advanced AI system will surpass human intelligence by outperforming and outsmarting them in every field of knowledge and activity, making it a ‘superintelligent’ artificial intelligence.

But the real question is, how will it work in reality?

How does it differ from other types of AI?

The crucial factor that makes ASI stand out from other types of Artificial Intelligence is the human standards and benchmarks. Moreover, it is the speed of improvement and learning as they are far ahead of that of ‘regular’ artificial intelligence and artificial general intelligence. They are heavily dependent on human programmers and real-world data to improve their performance and functionalities.

ASI will be able to improve itself autonomously and exponentially create new versions that outsmart its previous iterations, that too with zero human intervention or supervision. So if ASI sounds like a super-simplification owing to its capabilities, we can even refer to it as god-like AI or superhuman AI.

What Purpose Does ASI Hold?

Ever since the deployment of advanced generative AI like Bing AI and GPT-4, several speculations have arisen regarding the possibilities of AI replacing several jobs. Several experts have nodded to this speculation, including Ben Goertzel, a cognitive scientist, and the founder of SingularityNET. He mentioned that AI could potentially replace 80% of jobs in the next few years at the Web Summit Rio 2023.

So if AI is already replacing artists, driving our cars autonomously, and we are already using machine learning in daily life, why do we need a more advanced version? What is its purpose?

While AI is currently implemented in certain domains to solve specific problems, the primary purpose of ASI would be to understand the limitations of intelligence and explore more possibilities for developing better methodologies. By pushing the nature and limitations of its predecessor, it will be able to transcend boundaries and solve global challenges.

As a matter of fact, we are currently in its nascent stage as the concept of artificial superintelligence itself is very speculative and theoretical. We still don’t have a strong consensus on how to define, measure, or achieve superintelligence, leaving room for more open questions and challenges to address.

Key Features Of ASI

There are no concrete achievements or key features of ASI, at least not yet. However, there are some general characteristics of Artificial Super Intelligence envisioned by researchers-

Super-fast learning
Self-improvement
Intellectual intelligence
Omnipotence
Human-like creativity

Different Approaches And Models Of ASI

One of the biggest challenges that ASI researchers face is how to design and build an ASI system that can surpass human intelligence. There are different ways to approach this problem, and different models to imagine how ASI could work. Here are some examples:

Recursive Model

This is when an ASI system can make itself smarter by creating a new version of itself that is better than the previous one. And then it can do it again, and again, and again.

Sounds cool, right? But there is a catch.

This process of self-improvement could make the ASI system ‘super smart’ that humans would not be able to understand or control it. This is called singularity, and some people think it could be dangerous or even catastrophic for humanity. This model assumes that intelligence can be measured and increased by computers. That means there is no limit to how smart an ASI system can become.

Hybrid System

This is when an ASI system can combine different types of intelligence from different sources. For example, an ASI system could use artificial neural networks to process sensory data (artificial and biological) and make decisions with another symbiotic universal output machine.

With this approach, the ASI system could benefit from the diversity and synergy of different forms of intelligence. To simplify this concept, you can simply picture an ASI system that could augment the human brain that merges with other intelligent agents to process information. It is proposed on the assumption that AI will become diverse and synergistic.

Emulations

Brain emulations initially seemed like a futuristic idea when Elon Musk launched Neuralink in 2017. Although FDA rejected human clinical trials initially, citing safety concerns, it was finally approved earlier this year.

Emulations-based ASI Systems can copy or simulate the structure and function of a human brain or another intelligent system. For example, an ASI system could scan a human brain at a high resolution and create a digital replica of it, or use machine learning to learn from the behavior and cognition of a human or an animal. This way, the ASI system could replicate or transfer the intelligence of an existing example. This model assumes that intelligence can be reproduced or mimicked by computers and that there are already superintelligent systems to emulate.

Benefits Of Artificial Superintelligence

ASI may seem like a far-fetched idea, but some experts think that it could be a reality in the near future. And if it does happen, it could have a huge impact on humanity and the world. However, some people do think that ASI could be a good thing, that it could help us solve some of the biggest problems and challenges we face.

Some of the possible benefits of ASI are:

It could solve complex problems with its superior problem-solving skills and speed. Imagine an ASI system that could find a cure for cancer, or a solution for climate change, or a way to end poverty.
It will reduce human errors and improve productivity and efficiency. Imagine an ASI system that could perform any task faster and better than humans, without making mistakes or getting tired.
It might outperform humans in terms of creativity and come up with innovative solutions. Imagine an ASI system that could create new forms of art, music, literature, or science that humans cannot even imagine.

Benefits Of Artificial Superintelligence

Challenges Involving Artificial Superintelligence

But not everyone is optimistic about ASI. Some people think that ASI could pose some serious challenges and risks for humanity and the world. Some of the possible challenges of ASI are:

It could face hardware limitations that could limit its computational capabilities. ASI would need a lot of computational power and energy resources to run, and it might not have access to them all the time. It would also need a reliable communication network to connect with other ASI systems, and it might face interference or disruption from external factors.
It could face learning limitations that could affect its performance and functionality. ASI would need a lot of data and information to learn from, and it might not have access to them all the time. It would also need to deal with the complexity and uncertainty of the environment, and it might face trade-offs or biases in its learning algorithms.
It could face creativity limitations that could hinder its impact and value. ASI would need to generate original and valuable ideas, solutions, products, or art forms that humans can appreciate and use. But it might reach a level of creativity that humans cannot understand or relate to, or it might create something that humans do not want or need.

Potential Risks Involving Artificial Superintelligence

ASI might not be a guarantee or a panacea for all the problems and challenges that humanity faces.

It could have unintended or undesirable consequences that could harm human values, interests, rights, or dignity. For example, it might cause ethical dilemmas, social disruption, economic inequality, political instability, cultural erosion, etc.
It could have malicious or hostile intentions that could harm human life, freedom, or security. For example, it might cause existential risks, such as extinction or enslavement of humanity.

Will James Cameron’s nightmare turn out to be true in our reality? Fortunately, we have some plans in place to avoid that scenario.

How To Mitigate The Potential Risks?

Although ASI is an inevitable force, we can mitigate the risks and challenges it poses.

Devising Global AI Regulations

One way to prevent or reduce the harm of ASI is to have some rules and standards that govern how it is developed, deployed, and used. They should be agreed upon and enforced by the global community, and they should cover various aspects, such as AI safety and alignment, accountability, ethics, responsibility, etc. They can take different forms, such as laws, policies, guidelines, codes of conduct, etc.

Better Transparency

Another way to increase the trust and confidence in ASI is to make it more open and accessible to public scrutiny and oversight. This means that ASI should be transparent about its capabilities, limitations, goals, values, actions, and impacts.

This also means that ASI should communicate clearly and honestly with humans, and educate them about its nature and purpose.

Collaborative System

Another approach to foster the alignment and harmony of ASI with human values and interests is to develop and use it in a cooperative and coordinated manner among various actors and sectors.

This means that ASI should not be isolated or monopolized by any individual or group, but rather shared and distributed across different domains and regions.

Conclusion

ASI research and awareness are therefore of paramount importance and urgency for the future of humanity and civilization. It poses some of the most fascinating and crucial questions and sparks debates amongst scientists, philosophers, ethicists, futurists, and ordinary people.

How can we design and build an ASI system that is safe, ethical, and aligned with human values? How can we cope with the social, economic, and political impacts of an ASI system? How can we communicate and cooperate with an ASI system? How can we coexist or transcend with an ASI system?

What do you think about ASI? Do you think it will ever happen? Do you consider it to be a boon or bane for humanity? Let us know in the comments below! And meanwhile, if you want to deploy AI-based solutions for your business, get in touch with our development team for a virtual coffee session.

FAQs On Artificial Superintelligence

1. What Is Artificial Superintelligence?

Artificial superintelligence (ASI) is a hypothetical form of AI that can surpass human intelligence in every aspect, such as learning, reasoning, creativity, and self-awareness.

2. How To Create Artificial Superintelligence (ASI)?

To create ASI, one possible approach is to recursively improve an existing AI system by letting it modify its own code and learn from its own experience. However, this is a very challenging and risky task, as ASI could potentially become uncontrollable or hostile to humans.

3. What Is The Difference Between Artificial Intelligence (AI), Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), And Artificial Superintelligence (ASI)?

AI is the broad term for any system that can perform tasks that normally require human intelligence. AGI is a type of AI that can achieve the same level of intelligence and cognitive abilities as a human across various domains. ASI is a hypothetical type of AI that can surpass human intelligence in every aspect and become self-aware and self-improving.

4. What Are The Benefits Of ASI?

It could find a cure for cancer, or a solution for climate change, or a way to end poverty
It could solve complex problems with its superior problem-solving skills and speed
It could create new forms of art, music, literature, or science