AI: Are we heading for the apocalypse?
Are computers becoming smarter than us? And are we humans, as a consequence, in real danger of being destroyed by them? Join us for this The Danish Science Festival event and learn what is up and down in the debate about Artificial Intelligence.
We all know science fiction stories about computers that become intelligent and decide to eliminate humanity. But how realistic is that scenario really?
Technologists speak of singularity as the time when computer intelligence overtakes human comprehension - with dire consequences to follow. People like Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk and Bill Gates warn about the risk that technology gets out of our control and call for caution.
But how close are we to this happening – and is it even technically possible? How advanced is Artificial Intelligence today and what advantages and disadvantages does it offer in the short and long term?
Should we control the technological development in order to avoid hostile, super-intelligent computers in the future, or do such horror scenarios only block our view of more urgent problems?
At this Danish Science Festival event, we will weed out the myths and set the scene for an existential technology debate at the IT University of Copenhagen.
You will meet two researchers with widely differing views on the issue of Artificial Intelligence:
• Thore Husfeldt, Associate Professor at the IT University of Copenhagen and an expert in algorithms.
• Olle Häggström, Professor of mathematical statistics at Chalmers University of Technology and member of The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
Moderator: Christiane Vejlø.
NOTE: This event will be conducted in English. The event is free, but requires registration via Eventbrite.
About Thore Husfeldt
Thore Husfeldt is a researcher within Theoretical Computer Science at IT University of Copenhagen and professor at Lund University. His research mainly focuses on basic algorithms. Besides his research, he is a keen public debater and a popularizer of topics on the intersection of computer science and society through his podcast, Cast IT.
About Olle Häggström
Olle Häggström is professor of mathematical statistics at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg and a researcher at the Institute for Future Studies in Stockholm. He is also a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. His main research qualifications are in probability theory, but in recent years he has put more effort into the study of existential risk. He is an energetic popularizer of science, and the author of four books, most recently "Here Be Dragons: Science, Technology and the Future of Humanity" (Oxford University Press, 2016).
Eventbeskrivelse på dansk.