Artificial intelligence promises an even bigger revolution than the internet yet could be stifled in the UK by a fear-driven public backlash, according to a leading scientist and broadcaster. Prof Jim Al-Khalili, a physicist and the incoming president of the British Science Association, warns that without greater transparency and public engagement the full potential of AI may not be realised. In the absence of concerted action by academics, the government and industry, the rapidly advancing technology could end up "uncontrolled and unregulated" in the hands of a few supremely powerful companies, he says. Previewing his presidential address at this year's British Science festival in Hull, which begins next week, Khalili spoke of the dream and dangers of AI. He said the UK was at the forefront of the technology, which is predicted to contribute up to $15tn (£11.7tn) to the global economy by 2030.

Artificial intelligence poses a greater challege to the world than terrorism, the incoming president of the British Science Association has warned. Professor Jim Al-Khalili, a physicist at the University of Surrey, warned that progress in artificial intelligence is'happening too fast' and is not being regulated well enough. He said that AI will make Britain increasingly vulnerable to cyber attacks and lead to greater inequality as thousands are rendered unemployed. At a briefing in London ahead of the British Science Festival in Hull this week, he said: 'Until maybe a couple of years ago had I been asked what is the most pressing and important conversation we should be having about our future, I might have said climate change or one of the other big challenges facing humanity, such as terrorism, antimicrobial resistance, the threat of pandemics or world poverty. 'But today I am certain the most important conversation we should be having is about the future of AI.

Fresh breakthroughs in artificial intelligence come thick and fast these days. Last month, Google's DeepMind revealed its latest Go-playing AI which mastered the ancient game from scratch in a mere 70 hours. AI can spot cancer in medical scans better than humans, meaning radiotherapy can be targeted in minutes, not hours. We may soon use the technology to design new drugs, or repurpose existing ones to treat other, neglected, diseases. But as we begin to realise these opportunities, the potential risks increase: that AI will proliferate, uncontrolled and unregulated, in the hands of a few increasingly powerful technology firms, at the expense of jobs, equality and privacy.

The emerging field of artificial intelligence (AI) risks provoking a public backlash as it increasingly falls into private hands, threatens people's jobs, and operates without effective oversight or regulatory control, leading experts in the technology warn. At the start of a new Guardian series on AI, experts in the field highlight the huge potential for the technology, which is already speeding up scientific and medical research, making cities run more smoothly, and making businesses more efficient. But for all the promise of an AI revolution, there are mounting social, ethical and political concerns about the technology being developed without sufficient oversight from regulators, legislators and governments. The report found that AI had the potential to add £630bn to the economy by 2035. But to reap the rewards, the technology must benefit society, she said.