Think Ahead

摘要

No technology advance has generated a greater buzz in recent years than artificial intelligence, or AI. Open discussions about its ramifications cover topics such as autonomy, education, productivity, employment and authority. Opinion shapers ranging from experts to gadflies are divided over whether AI will prove to be a boon to humankind or the death knell of freedom and, possibly, human life itself. What is certain is that global change is coming as AI begins to intrude on every aspect of life. Companies already are using it to identify potential customer wants and needs, and governments have found it useful for identification and even behavioral prediction. The military is counting on it to allow analysts, warf-ighters and decision makers to obtain only the information they need from increasingly vast amounts of accumulated data. Ultimately, AI will guide devices that will operate in tandem with human warfighters in the battlespace.