Amy Webb on Artificial Intelligence

Futurist Amy Webb, the founder of the Future Today Institute and NYU professor, takes a minute to answer questions about artificial intelligence and whether its advancement is in the long-term interest of humanity.

How are artificial and human intelligence different?

At its core, artificial intelligence is a system, or a system of systems, that makes decisions and choices increasingly on its own using our data. Now, that's not all that different from how humans use data, interpreted from the real world, to make decisions. But, fundamentally, the way that we make our decisions, and the way that our cognition works, and the way that our minds work is quite different from algorithms that are part of bigger systems that are making decisions and choices on our behalf.

Is developing AI in the long-term interest of humanity?

Developing artificial intelligence is absolutely in the best interests of humanity for the longer term. However, we have to start making smarter choices about how artificial intelligence works and what data are being used to train those systems today.

Which AI from popular culture is your favorite?

The best depiction that I've seen so far of AI, the best example, and certainly the most interesting story, is Westworld.