This is an age of artificial intelligence (AI) driven automation and autonomous machines. The increasing ubiquity and rapidly expanding potential of self-improving, self-replicating, autonomous intelligent machines has spurred a massive automation driven transformation of human ecosystems in cyberspace, geospace and space (CGS). As seen across nations, there is already a growing trend towards increasingly entrusting complex decision processes to these rapidly evolving AI systems. From granting parole to diagnosing diseases, college admissions to job interviews, managing trades to granting credits, autonomous vehicles to autonomous weapons, the rapidly evolving AI systems are increasingly being adopted by individuals and entities across nations: its government, industries, organizations and academia (NGIOA). Individually and collectively, the promise and perils of these evolving AI systems are raising serious concerns for the accuracy, fairness, transparency, trust, ethics, privacy and security of the future of humanity -- prompting calls for regulation of artificial intelligence design, development and deployment.

This is an age of artificial intelligence (AI) driven automation and autonomous machines. The increasing ubiquity and rapidly expanding potential of self-improving, self-replicating, autonomous intelligent machines has spurred a massive automation driven transformation of human ecosystems in cyberspace, geospace and space (CGS). As seen across nations, there is already a growing trend towards increasingly entrusting complex decision processes to these rapidly evolving AI systems. From granting parole to diagnosing diseases, college admissions to job interviews, managing trades to granting credits, autonomous vehicles to autonomous weapons, the rapidly evolving AI systems are increasingly being adopted by individuals and entities across nations: its government, industries, organizations and academia (NGIOA). Individually and collectively, the promise and perils of these evolving AI systems are raising serious concerns for the accuracy, fairness, transparency, trust, ethics, privacy and security of the future of humanity -- prompting calls for regulation of artificial intelligence design, development and deployment.

The rise of the silicon brain that can give rise to thought, emotion and behavior in a machine seems to be on the way. This is mainly due to rapid advances in software and hardware that are paving the way for next generation computational systems with cognitive abilities modeled after the human brain. This will prove to be a significant evolutionary development and especially important to enhancing machine intelligence for the complex problems that need to be solved for the future of humanity. So, as we envision a rapidly evolving silicon brain taking in the data from its surroundings in cyberspace, geospace, space (CGS) and run the data through some known/unknown computing processes and then tell the computer/machine to act, feel or behave in a certain way seems to bring humanity a lot more questions than answers. This is mainly because it is not known how the information on the silicon brain will be processed, stored or recalled; how the computer commands will emerge and become effective, and even how the silicon brain will experience the sensory world around it in CGS, and how it will think, feel or empathize.

The rise of the silicon brain that can give rise to thought, emotion and behavior in a machine seems to be on the way. This is mainly due to rapid advances in software and hardware that are paving the way for next generation computational systems with cognitive abilities modeled after the human brain. This will prove to be a significant evolutionary development and especially important to enhancing machine intelligence for the complex problems that need to be solved for the future of humanity. So, as we envision a rapidly evolving silicon brain taking in the data from its surroundings in cyberspace, geospace, space (CGS) and run the data through some known / unknown computing processes and then tell the computer / machine to act, feel or behave in a certain way seems to bring humanity a lot more questions than answers. This is mainly because it is not known how the information on the silicon brain will be processed, stored or recalled; how the computer commands will emerge and become effective, and even how the silicon brain will experience the sensory world around it in CGS, and how it will think, feel or empathize.

In pursuit of automation-driven efficiencies, the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence (AI) tools and techniques (such as neural networks, machine-learning, predictive analytics, speech recognition, natural-language processing and more) are now routinely used across nations: its governments, industries, organizations and academia (NGIOA) for navigation, translation, behavior modeling, robotic control, risk management, security, decision making and many other applications. As AI is becoming democratized, these evolving intelligent algorithms are now rapidly becoming prevalent in most, if not all, aspects of human and machine decision-making. While Decision Utilities like intelligent algorithms have been in use for many years, there are rising concerns about the general lack of algorithmic understanding, usage practices, the rapidly penetrating bias in automated decisions, and the lack of transparency and accountability. As a result, ensuring integrity, transparency and trust in algorithmic decision-making is becoming a complex challenge for the creators of algorithms with huge implications for the future of society. Irrespective of cyberspace, geospace or space (CGS), since technology revolutions are driven not just by accidental discovery but also by societal needs, the question we all individually and collectively need to first and foremost evaluate is whether there really is a need for decision-making algorithms--and if yes, where and why.

Over the years, the advances in computing and computing systems have delivered tremendous progress, development and benefits to individuals and entities across nations: its government, industries, organizations and academia (NGIOA). As they continue to do so; the emerging computing systems, cognitive systems, are expected to forever change the way we the humans will interact with computers and computing systems in all formats. The rise of "cognitive computing" brings us a new beginning, a new age, where computers with human like intelligence and cognitive abilities, works hand in hand with humans and human intelligence in solving complex problems facing humanity in cyberspace, geospace and space (CGS). As computers begin to understand humans and think like human beings, they will undoubtedly increase human intelligence, human capabilities, reach and knowledge that would allow them to explore more, understand more, make accurate predictions and draw intelligent conclusions. So, does this mean that we are moving into an era where computers can augment human knowledge, ingenuity, cooperation and collaboration in entirely new ways?

Welcome to Risk Roundup, an integrated Cyber-Security and Strategic-Security Risk Podcast hosted by Risk Group Founder Jayshree Pandya PhD. With each episode, we'll sit down with the decision makers from across nations: its government, industries, organizations and academia (NGIOA). It's a peek behind the scenes of existing and emerging risks from cyberspace, geospace and space (CGS) --a first-hand conversation with the people who are shaping the digital global age. Each one of us across nations currently stands on the verge of the most turbulent and transformative period in all of human history. As Information Technology, Genetics, Nanotechnology, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing and Blockchain merge and converge to make the once unachievable imagination possible, it is not only human and robot intelligence that will merge and create unthinkable possibilities, the likes of molecular manufacturing will also bring earth shattering potential to build virtually any physical item quickly and inexpensively directly from pure information--creating complex security risks and challenges for each nation: its government, industries, organizations and academia (NGIOA).

Risk Roundup is an integrated cyber-security and strategic security risk dialogue for nations: its government, industries, organizations and academia (NGIOA) in cyberspace, geospace and space (CGS). Each one of us across nations currently stands on the verge of the most turbulent and transformative period in all of human history. As Information Technology, Genetics, Nanotechnology, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing and Blockchain merge and converge to make the once unachievable imagination possible, it is not only human and robot intelligence that will merge and create unthinkable possibilities, the likes of molecular manufacturing will also bring earth shattering potential to build virtually any physical item quickly and inexpensively directly from pure information--creating complex security risks and challenges for each nation: its government, industries, organizations and academia (NGIOA). The computer code, connected computers, internet and rapidly emerging technological convergence that is close to reaching the commercialization stage is about to create a technological tsunami, which will not only fundamentally change human lives but will also create new industries, destroy a few industries, impact a large number of industry sectors, evaporate a number of businesses, create significant amount of hi-tech specialized and skilled jobs, destroy a large number of unskilled jobs, collapse a few nations and change the nature of an unprecedented number of security risks. It will be by far much more complex and much bigger than any security risks we face in cyberspace-geospace-space (CGS) currently!

Introduction As we, the humans aim for broader capabilities beyond our intelligence, the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will undoubtedly create complex security challenges that will likely be beyond our capabilities to manage. While companies such as Google, Facebook, Amazon and Baidu have got into an AI arms race already, it is important to identify, understand and evaluate the strategic security risks, we the humans will face in the coming years due to AI. The use of AI is not new. From cars to phones, to thermostats, emails and games like checkers and chess have been using basic "Artificial Narrow Intelligence" (ANI) system for a long time. More advanced ANI systems have also been widely used in sectors and industries like military, manufacturing, finance and so on.