Latin American Herald Tribune - Google Backs AI Despite Concern It Might Dominate Man

Experts from Google, a technology company that firmly supports the development of artificial intelligence (AI), discussed in China on Wednesday the future of the technology that fascinates and terrifies human beings simultaneously. Demis Hassabis, founder of DeepMind -- one of Google--s main AI labs --, and Jeff Dean, of Google Brain, attended the forum that was kept low-key given Google--s complicated relationship with the country, where its popular search engine is banned. At the forum held in Wuzhen, participants expressed optimism that AI, which is being promoted by firms such as Google, Apple or Chinese companies including Baidu and Tencent, will usher in unimaginable benefits. Google president Eric Schmidt said AI will help find new cures for diseases in the future, adding that in the next five years, major advancement in field of medicine will be possible through AI. Hassabis -- who heads Google--s AI project AlphaGo -- also said it is important that the technology develops in an ethical and responsible manner.