Asked if the race to achieve superhuman artificial intelligence (AI) was inevitable, Stuart Russell, UC Berkeley professor of computer science and leading expert on AI, says yes. "The idea of intelligent machines is kind of irresistible," he says, and the desire to make intelligent machines dates back thousands of years. Aristotle himself imagined a future in which "the plectrum could pluck itself" and "the loom could weave the cloth." But the stakes of this future are incredibly high. As Russell told his audience during a talk he gave in London in 2013, "Success would be the biggest event in human history … and perhaps the last event in human history." The problem isn't AI itself, but the way it's designed. Algorithms are inherently Machiavellian; they will use any means to achieve their objective. Services like Google Maps and the recommendation engines that drive online shopping sites like Amazon may seem innocuous, but advanced versions of those same algorithms are enabling AI that is more nefarious.

Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk have joined prominent artificial intelligence researchers in pledging support for principles to protect mankind from machines and a potential AI arms race. An open letter published by the Future of Life Institute (FLI) on Monday outlined the Asilomar AI Principles--23 guidelines to ensure the development of artificial intelligence that is beneficial to humanity. For decades, science fiction writer Isaac Asimov's'Three Laws of Robotics' were a cornerstone for the ethical development of robots and artificial intelligence machines. First laid out in his 1942 short story Runaround, Asimov's three principles stated: A robot must not harm a human through action or inaction; a robot must obey humans; and a robot must protect its own existence. Each rule takes precedence over the rules that follow it in order to ensure a human's life is protected over the existence of a robot.

It is an issue troubling some of the greatest minds in the world at the moment, from Professor Stephen Hawking to Bill Gates and Elon Musk. So it is perhaps not surprising there are now growing fears among the public about the threat posed by artificial intelligence. A new survey has revealed that one in three people now believe the rise of AI computing will pose a serious threat to humanity within the next century. There are mounting fears among the public about the threat posed by artificial intelligence. A new survey has revealed that one in three people now believe the rise of AI computing will pose a serious threat to humanity.

Bill Gates has proclaimed the'AI dream is finally arriving' - despite admitting it could be a major concern for the future of humanity. 'The dream is finally arriving,' Gates said, speaking with wife Melinda Gates on Wednesday at the Code Conference in Southern California. 'The dream is finally arriving,' Gates said, speaking at the Code Conference in Southern California. 'This is what it was all leading up to.' Gates said enough progress has been made to ensure that in the next 10 years there will be robots to do tasks like driving and warehouse work as well as machines that can outpace humans in certain areas of knowledge, according to recode. He also suggested a pair of books that people should read, including Nick Bostrom's book on superintelligence and Pedro Domingos' 'The Master Algorithm.'

Bill Gates has proclaimed the'AI dream is finally arriving' - despite admitting it could be a major concern for the future of humanity. 'The dream is finally arriving,' Gates said, speaking with wife Melinda Gates on Wednesday at the Code Conference in Southern California. 'The dream is finally arriving,' Gates said, speaking at the Code Conference in Southern California. 'This is what it was all leading up to.' Gates said enough progress has been made to ensure that in the next 10 years there will be robots to do tasks like driving and warehouse work as well as machines that can outpace humans in certain areas of knowledge, according to recode. He also suggested a pair of books that people should read, including Nick Bostrom's book on superintelligence and Pedro Domingos' 'The Master Algorithm.'