AI has brought humanity to a “great moment of potential and danger,” journalist and broadcaster Mark Little has said. 

Artificial intelligence is when machines have the ability to operate with human-like intelligence and Mr Little predicted it will revolutionise everything we do in the years ahead. 

“Every single person and everything in their daily life is going to start seeing this technology,” he told The Hard Shoulder. 

“If you work in an office or a big company, you’re going to start seeing AI assistance help you navigate time-off or your expenses. 

“Or shopping, we’re not too far off from the point where I’ll be able to go online, have a personal shopper who will design a menu for me.” 

Experts have recently warned that AI could even lead to the extinction of humanity if it falls into the wrong hands - such as someone who wanted to build chemical weapons or engage in mass surveillance. 

A robot waiters at work in COSMO restaurant at Liffey Valley in Dublin.

The risk that the technology could be used for ill is something Mr Little is all too aware of. 

“We’re never too far away from some shady person coming along and hijacking our data and trying to send us to the wrong store,” he said. 

“What’s different now is the rapid acceleration from being in these black boxes to being in our daily life - everything from travel to work to education is going to be impacted. 

“So, that’s what’s different with this compared to something like the iPhone… It’s just not visible yet to everybody and I think we’re at this great moment of potential and danger.” 

A summit on the global governance of AI is due to be held in London in the second half of 2023. 

Announcing the summit, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said AI has “incredible potential to transform our lives for the better” but also cautioned it “developed and used in a way that is safe and secure”.

Main image: AI.