5 times Artificial Intelligence Proved It is Not Just Sci-Fi, It’s a Real Threat To Humans

I intended to begin this article with the phrase "picture this," but there are several actual events that can be brought up to illustrate how artificial intelligence (AI) has occasionally gone too far and become a real threat to humanity. 
But first, let's go back to 2023 to set the scene. It was supposed to be a typical simulation day. The potential for an AI-powered drone to bomb its targets thrilled researchers. Defence researchers had deployed an AI-powered drone to locate and eliminate enemy targets at a US Air Force test facility. What's the catch? The final decision was made by the person in charge; the drone could not take off without authorisation. However, AI appears to have other plans.

In one instance, despite identifying its target, the drone "decided" to kill its human controller because he was preventing it from killing him. Even though no actual harm was done and officials later claimed it was all part of a fabricated simulation, the message was clear: AI doesn't always think like humans. That might be dangerous.

Stories like this are becoming more scary-real and less fantasy as artificial intelligence becomes more intelligent and self-driving. Concerns are now being raised about how easily things can spiral out of control, whether intentionally or unintentionally, from what began as a means of improving people's lives.

These five instances demonstrate how AI may endanger humans and our jobs in the real world:

1. A $150K-a-year software engineer lost his job to AI and now works as a home delivery driver while living in a trailer.

This incident involving Shawn K, a software engineer, serves as a clear reminder of how closely AI has been eyeing careers in coding and software development. Shawn hasn't been able to find employment since losing his job in 2008. He now works as a DoorDash driver to make ends meet while living in a trailer. He has been sending out resumes in large numbers every day and has even managed to get a few interviews, but he was surprised to discover that on a few of these occasions, an AI agent rather than a human conducted the interview.

2. To adopt AI-powered systems, Klarna fired 700 of its human workers

Another significant event demonstrating the preference for AI over humans in the workplace. In 2022, the Swedish fintech company Klarna laid off 700 of its workers as it embraced AI-powered systems in collaboration with OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT. Klarna had virtually stopped using human workers by 2023. The business now regrets this decision and is actively seeking employees offering flexible work modes and hours.

3. Deaths and injuries caused by Tesla Autopilot

Tesla's Autopilot feature has been linked to several reported fatal and non-fatal accidents. International investigators have discovered a significant safety flaw in Tesla's Autopilot system that has resulted in numerous fatalities and injuries. In 2023, a Tesla Model Y series driver operating the autopilot system was struck in North Carolina. The student was seriously hurt.

4. Elon Musk's Grok AI talking endlessly about sensitive topics without being asked 

Musk's Grok AI was recently observed responding at random, involving topics like the Holocaust and the White Genocide in South Africa, which is a classic illustration of how AI can haphazardly spread lies and cause chaos. Over a week, the AI was seen responding at random to tweets about White Genocide that had nothing to do with it. In another instance, the Holocaust was questioned, and the historians' accepted statistics were referred to as "manipulated" by the AI.

5. Fake Deepfake Scams duping people

Over the last two years, deepfake scams have increased in India. People have been duped of substantial sums of money and, in certain situations, their entire life savings by these deepfake videos. A deepfake scam cost a 73-year-old Keralan man Rs 40,000.

Read more: Elon Musk’s Grok AI Won’t Stop Talking About ‘White Genocide’ Even When No One Asked
Read more: After White Genocide, Musk’s Grok AI Gives Holocaust Takes, Then Blames a Bug
Read more: FinTech Company Klarna Fires 700 in AI Shift, Now Desperate to Hire Humans After $40B Loss