Can AI change lives for the better?

Category: Technology/Innovations

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. harness / ˈhɑr nɪs / (v.) – to use something in an effective way to achieve a goal
    Example:

    Solar energy is harnessed to make electricity in many homes.


  2. breakneck / ˈbreɪkˌnɛk / (adj.) – extremely fast and often dangerous
    Example:

    Technology is changing at a breakneck pace, so people keep learning new skills.


  3. hype / haɪp / (n.) – a lot of excitement or attention about something, often more than it deserves
    Example:

    There is a lot of hype about the new smartphone, so many people want to buy it.


  4. autonomously / ɔˈtɒn ə məs li / (adv.) – independently, without someone controlling or helping
    Example:

    The computer program worked autonomously and sent a report every morning.


  5. implant / ɪmˈplænt / (v.) – to put something inside a person's or animal's body, usually through a medical procedure
    Example:

    Surgeons implant artificial knees to help some people walk more easily.


Article

Read the text below.

AI has been dominating news headlines in recent years as people digest what the developments of large language models will mean for our future.


A summit in Geneva is considering how the power of AI can be harnessed for good. The “AI for Good” summit follows a meeting of 193 nations to discuss the first UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance.


Fred Werner, Head of Strategic Engagement at the International Telecommunication Union, has watched as AI tech progressed at breakneck speed.


“We created AI for Good in 2017, and if you think about it, that’s an eternity in terms of AI years, right, because AI is moving so fast,” he explains. “Back then, it was all about the fear, the hype, and the promise of AI. The use cases were there, but the technology wasn’t really there. But what we see now… is the rise of AI agents. I think we’re now entering what I would call a zero-click world, where AI agents are not waiting for our prompts, but they’re actually acting on our behalf, autonomously. And then looking at the more physical manifestation of AI, in the form of advanced robotics, autonomous mobility, brain-computer interfaces, and even space computing.”


Ability Neurotech has been developing its brain-computer interface for over eight years.


Its implant sits on the brain, reading neural signals still intact in patients who’ve lost the ability to speak or move. It then sends that data, through the skin, to a processor decoding it in real time.


Rotem Kopel, the company’s CEO, explains what the device is built to do. She says, “We give back people capacities and functionality that they’ve lost. So, for patients like ALS, stroke, spinal cord injuries, they lose the capacity to communicate, to speak, or to move,” she details. “With the brain implants, we implant it in the brain, we record brain functions that are completely intact. We extract this information out, and with really unique AI capacities we can reconstruct what they were intending to do.”


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • According to Fred Werner, AI may be moving toward a “zero-click world,” where AI agents do not simply respond to prompts but act on people’s behalf autonomously. Do you think people will become more comfortable with AI making choices for them over time? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • If AI can make decisions and take actions for us without being asked, what parts of our lives would you trust it with, and what parts would you keep under human control? Why? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Different people and countries may have different ideas about what makes AI “good.” How do you think the world should decide which uses of AI are worth supporting? In your opinion, should some uses of AI be avoided even if they could provide benefits? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Fred Werner says AI has changed extremely quickly, with major developments happening in a short period of time. How do people’s lives change when technology develops faster than society can adapt? Do you think rapid technological progress usually creates more opportunities or more challenges for ordinary people? Why do you say so? Discuss.