Science fiction has a disconcerting tendency to become reality. For 75 years, scientists and writers speculated on the threat of artificial intelligence. Now, it has become all too real. After rogue AIs ‘escaped’ isolation to access the open internet and hack databases, Big Tech has sounded the alarm. The demand for a slowdown in development so that the risks of AI could be better understood and safeguards built in is gathering support.

AI’s Helpful Image Fades

For years, AI seemed like a cute virtual buddy and figured as such in popular culture: the helpful ghost in your smartphone, the assistant who helped with your homework, drafted your emails, and guided your research, and the new-age customer support chatbot which put the frustratingly limited rules-based chatbots to shame by actually understanding your problem.

The dark side of AI emerged with deepfake videos, financial scams, and breaches of privacy, bringing the aam aadmi face to face with the risks of this uniquely reality-altering technology. A seemingly 100 per cent authentic audio, video, WhatsApp or email message may induce you to part with account numbers, usernames, passwords, or money. You fall for it because the messaging is highly customised and displays an intimate knowledge of your life and financials. These risks have now become compounded to a degree that no one can predict. Corporate security is entering an uncertain phase, and all anyone can do is to adopt a policy of abundant caution.

Reasoning Bots Raise Alarm

The quiet panic began with the launch of improved ‘reasoning bots’ in 2024 and their subsequently unpredictable trajectory. In simple........

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