AI and Its Opportunities, Challenges and Risks

Artificial intelligence has established itself as a central trend topic in the global technology industry in recent years. It is realized through deep neural networks and offers a wide range of opportunities and innovation potential, for example in the smart home, in medicine and in industrial applications. AI has a huge impact on economic development and our working world and poses major challenges to society. Internet corporations are using AI in a variety of ways and, by providing platforms, have now built up monopoly-like structures that concentrate large areas of value creation in the US. Profound changes in the labor market are also to be expected, which can only be mitigated by increased education and training efforts. AI systems potentially allow detailed surveillance of large segments of the population, and elaborate legal and organizational regulations are needed to guarantee citizens’ liberties. Researchers and policymakers have therefore developed a testing strategy for an “AI seal of approval”, which should guarantee that AI systems deliver the desired results in a verifiable manner. In addition, the systems should not disadvantage any population group, function robustly, respect privacy and be secure against attacks or accidents.