It would be impossible to pull the plug on AI that wanted to harm humans, scientists warn

The idea of an artificial intelligence (AI) uprising may sound like the plot of a science-fiction film, but the notion is a topic of a new study that finds it is possible and we would not be able to stop it. A team of international scientists designed a theoretical containment algorithm that ensures a super-intelligent system could not harm people under any circumstance, by simulating the AI and blocking it from wrecking havoc on humanity. However, the analysis shows current algorithms do not have the ability to halt AI, because commanding the system to not destroy the world would inadvertently halt the algorithm's own operations. Iyad Rahwan, Director of the Center for Humans and Machines, said: 'If this happened, you would not know whether the containment algorithm is still analyzing the threat, or whether it has stopped to contain the harmful AI.' 'In effect, this makes the containment algorithm unusable.' AI has been fascinating humans for years, as we are in awe by machines that control cars, compose symphonies or beat the world's best chess player at their own game.