It is impossible for artificial intelligence (AI) to dominate and destroy humanity, as there is no system in place for this to happen; nor is a significant increase in Mexico’s unemployment rate due to the use of this technology expected in the next two or three years, starting in 2023.
This is according to reports from León Palafox, an expert in artificial intelligence and Universidad Panamericana (UP) Mexico City School of Engineering scholar, who said in an interview that the global trend is to attempt to make AI like a human being who can do practically any task.
According to the specialist, AI’s advance will lean heavily toward generative AI and will continue to be used to optimize processes and increase the efficiency of what is already in place. It has already proven helpful regarding certain issues, such as democratizing access to financial products to the extent that, thanks to AI, obtaining a loan or a credit card today is as easy as five clicks on a screen. Similarly, in the area of health, “I see a lot of potential.”
Currently, artificial intelligence is mainly applied in the areas of finance and retail in Mexico and abroad. For example, it’s used by BBVA, Grupo Salinas, Banorte, Inbursa, Coppel, and Femsa. “It is starting to be seen in manufacturing, but not as quickly as I would like,” he said.
“Some manufacturing companies,” he added, “are beginning to see how to integrate these artificial intelligence processes within their commercial and industrial activity but, yes, manufacturing is quite behind and AI is not being applied as much.
Regarding whether the use of AI has caused unemployment in Mexico, Palafox stressed that there has not been a big announcement or a large deployment of layoffs due to AI. “From what I have seen—and I have talked to different investors in different companies—it seems unlikely artificial intelligence will have a strong impact in the next two or three years.”
Does artificial intelligence pose any danger in Mexico and the rest of the world?
“It would be very arrogant of me to say that I am 100 percent sure that it does not,” he responded; however, he clarified that, technologically, it would be impossible for AI to get to the point where “it would dominate or destroy humanity.”
AI does not have the interfaces to connect with nuclear bombs. “Nor, for example, can you say, ‘Hey, it is going to self-replicate and make robots. I have worked in factories and I assure you that there is no magic place where you connect a USB with artificial intelligence and, on its own, it begins to control the entire factory. That does not exist,” said the professor of Data Science at the Universidad Panamericana.
So, perhaps the only immediate danger would be that it could lead to unemployment?
“Yes, that and, for example, a massive generation of fake news, false images, or false texts, which would exacerbate a problem that already exists,” responded León Palafox, stressing that, “It is our responsibility as a society, as companies, to fight against that.”
