This blog post examines from multiple angles how the evolution of artificial intelligence and tools impacts human civilization, and whether it will prove a blessing or a curse.
From primitive apes to modern humans, human civilization has continuously developed and evolved. From the ancient four great civilizations—Mesopotamian, Indus, Egyptian, and Yellow River—to the modern information age, the evolution of tools used by humans has played a pivotal role in the advancement of civilization. Through the use of fire and the invention of stone tools, humans gradually transitioned from a hunter-gatherer culture to an agricultural society, which soon led to the emergence of the ancient four great civilizations. Subsequently, as technologies like bronze and iron were developed, tools continued to evolve, and human civilization advanced to a highly developed state, culminating in modern civilization. Today, we live using countless tools, ranging from electronic devices like computers and smartphones to spoons, chopsticks, cars, and shoes. Human civilization has developed alongside tools from the very beginning, to the point where a life without tools is now unimaginable.
It is an undeniable fact that humanity has reached its present state precisely because of the appropriate use and development of tools. The development of civilization and the development of tools are inextricably linked. However, we have now reached a point where we must discuss how far the development of tools can go. What if tools cease to be mere objects that assist human activities? What would happen if tools gained human capabilities, or even surpassed them? The 2016 match between the artificial intelligence AlphaGo and Lee Sedol, a 9-dan Go master, was an event that revealed the shocking truth that tools can surpass humans. AlphaGo, merely a Go program developed by Google, defeated Lee Sedol, widely regarded as the world’s top Go player, with an overwhelming score of 4:1, watched by the entire world. Artificial intelligence is ultimately just a tool invented by humans. However, this event—where a tool defeated the world’s top Go player in Go, the most complex game ever developed by humans—made the world realize that tools are no longer mere entities following human commands; they can surpass human capabilities.
Of course, this doesn’t mean we need to fear AlphaGo right now. While surpassing humans in Go skill, AlphaGo remains just a Go program and lacks the myriad other abilities humans possess. What we should be wary of is not AlphaGo itself, but the future it implies. If tools, which have long followed human commands and aided human progress, gradually evolve to possess intelligence superior to humanity’s, the relationship between humans and tools as we know it will fundamentally change. AlphaGo’s emergence suggests the possibility that this future could become reality, not just science fiction. Therefore, at this moment of heightened interest in AI, we must discuss how far we should permit its development.
Artificial intelligence represents the pinnacle of tool development conceivable today. There are two types of AI: ‘strong AI,’ which possesses self-awareness, recognizes itself, and can perform all tasks humans can do; and ‘weak AI,’ which processes tasks as programmed but lacks awareness of what it is doing. Developing strong AI is currently impossible with existing technology. However, even if technology advances to make it possible, I believe it should be restricted. Applying a human-like self-awareness to machines would create ‘artificial lifeforms,’ which could cause severe disruption. If machines that think and act like humans are recognized as life, they would no longer be tools for humans but would be elevated to equal lifeforms. A world coexisting with machines capable of infinite reproduction and physical abilities surpassing humans could never be peaceful.
Of course, countermeasures to prevent such dangers can be proposed. The Three Laws of Robotics, proposed by American author Isaac Asimov, are a prime example. First, a robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. Second, a robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. Third, a robot must protect its own existence, except when such protection conflicts with the first or second principles. However, we cannot definitively assert that these safeguards guarantee peace between humanity and artificial intelligence. In the film ‘I, Robot,’ an AI reinterprets these three principles, determining that human actions will destroy Earth and lead to human extinction, and attempts to control humanity. While this is an exaggeration for cinematic effect, the fact that AlphaGo defeated Lee Sedol 9-dan by playing moves incomprehensible to humans highlights the potential unease that AI’s judgments might defy human understanding. A society where machines with superior physical capabilities coexist with humans cannot be entirely reassuring, even with safeguards like the Three Laws.
For weak AI, the potential benefits are too significant to simply oppose its development outright. Imagine AI deployed in extreme environments inaccessible to humans. If AI is developed for use in critical situations like fire rescue operations or deep-sea construction, it could bring immense benefits to humanity. However, the scope of AI application is not limited solely to such indispensable scenarios. There are numerous fields where humans can perform tasks, but AI can execute them more efficiently. For instance, in the case of pharmacists, if an AI could prepare medications based solely on a prescription, it would do so much faster and more efficiently than a human pharmacist. In a capitalist society, the emergence of such AI would likely lead to human pharmacists losing their jobs. Indeed, many predict that as AI advances, various professions like doctors, pharmacists, and teachers will disappear.
From a corporate perspective within the profit-driven capitalist system, the advancement of AI is welcome news. AI requires no wages and outperforms humans in efficiency, leading to increased corporate profits. However, from the employee’s perspective, jobs are lost to machines. The expectation that AI will replace a significant portion of human roles also signifies the crisis that many people could lose their jobs. In the long term, the wealth gap between corporations and the general public could widen significantly beyond current levels, potentially causing severe societal imbalance. Ultimately, artificial intelligence developed to advance civilization could itself plunge civilization into crisis.
In the end, the development of artificial intelligence is like a double-edged sword. Used wisely, it can be a blessing that further advances human civilization. Conversely, if misused, it could threaten human well-being. If we could prevent the harm AI development inflicts on humanity, I would support its advancement. However, blindly pushing development without clear solutions to the fundamental problems it brings—such as occupational imbalance and human alienation—is dangerous. That said, directly banning AI development is unrealistic. It is urgent to allow development while establishing social safeguards to minimize potential harms arising from the capitalist system and prevent the monopolization of AI privileges by a wealthy minority.
Representative safeguards currently under discussion include job sharing and the basic income system. Job sharing refers to distributing stable jobs among people when specific occupations disappear. For example, instead of one person working 40 hours in a job with low automation risk, they could share that job with someone who lost their position to AI, each working 20 hours. The basic income system provides a minimum living allowance to all members of society, regardless of their assets, income, employment status, or willingness to work. While these two systems are expected to partially address the job loss issue caused by AI, their practical feasibility and specific implementation details remain undetermined.
AI has consistently been a topic of great interest throughout history. Some envision a future where AI solves complex problems or where humans peacefully coexist with intelligent artificial lifeforms, while others fear a dystopia where machines dominate humanity. Whether AI development is a gift to humanity or a Pandora’s box that should never be opened remains unknown. However, preventing this box from opening is realistically impossible, so research to establish social safeguards must proceed alongside AI development. To ensure the advancement of this tool benefits humanity, preparations must be made in advance across multiple fronts.
