Artificial Intelligence (AI) – is it a pending apocalypse or the best and most useful innovation for a long time that will free humans up to focus on higher level tasks?

AI is a general term for software that mimics human cognition or perception. A distinction is made between narrow (or specialised) AI and artificial general intelligence (AGI).

Narrow AI is responsible for many useful tools that have already become mainstream: speech and image recognition, search engines, spam filters, and navigation systems. It has the potential to enable promising technologies like driverless cars, tools for rapid scientific discovery and digital assistants for medical image analysis. Some of these technologies have the potential to be abused by malicious groups by for example automating hacks and cyberattacks, coordinating fleets of drones, allowing for mass surveillance through facial recognition and social data mining, generating realistic fake videos for political propaganda.

AGI is a theoretical form of AI capable of learning intellectual tasks as humans are i.e., have an intelligence equal to humans. It would have a self-aware consciousness with the ability to solve problems, learn, and plan for the future. The possibility of AGI is uncertain, but some futurists believe its unchecked consequences could be apocalyptic.

This AI workshop attempts to provide insight into AI, its constructs and catalysts, benefits and dangers, and applications in financial markets. The workshop will also discuss the regulatory framework developing around AI internationally and domestically.