Artificial intelligence today (properly known as'narrow' or'weak' AI) is progressing at an ever-accelerating pace. AI can encompass anything from Google's search algorithms to IBM's Watson. However, AI is also being exploited by governments eager to enhance their power over an ever-more digitally-dependent world. Simon McCarthy-Jones, Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology at Trinity College Dublin, reveals why the'technological elite' require'checks and balances' in the use and development of artificial intelligence. AI is the ultimate source of knowledge, making it the ultimate source of powerProfessor Simon McCarthy-JonesHe told Express.co.uk: "AI is the ultimate source of knowledge, making it the ultimate source of power."The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, says that whoever leads the world in AI will rule it.

Asteroids, supervolcanoes, nuclear war, climate change, engineered viruses, artificial intelligence, and even aliens -- the end may be closer than you think. For the next two weeks, OneZero will be featuring essays drawn from editor Bryan Walsh's forthcoming book End Times: A Brief Guide to the End of the World, which hits shelves on August 27 and is available for pre-order now, as well as pieces by other experts in the burgeoning field of existential risk. It's up to us to postpone the apocalypse. There is no easy definition for artificial intelligence, or A.I. Scientists can't agree on what constitutes "true A.I." versus what might simply be a very effective and fast computer program. But here's a shot: intelligence is the ability to perceive one's environment accurately and take actions that maximize the probability of achieving given objectives.