Stephen Hawking warns A.I. could lead to destruction of humanity

[Physicist Stephen Hawking believes the development of human-like A.I. technologies could be the worst thing that’s ever happened to humanity. Photo: Getty Images]

Artificial intelligence is slowly creeping into our lives, and we can see it from the digital assistants living in our smartphones to the promise of fully automated vehicles in the near future.

But Professor Stephen Hawking is skeptical about whether AI will lead to the utopia the big tech companies are suggesting.

At the opening of Cambridge University’s Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence (LCFI), which hopes to answer some of the concerns around A.I. research, Hawking said, “the rise of powerful A.I. will either be the best, or the worst thing, ever to happen to humanity.”

He praised the institute and said it is “crucial to the future of our civilization and our species” and added, "it’s a welcome change that people are studying, instead, the future of intelligence.”

And if you think the concept of artificial intelligence is all science fiction and we aren’t yet capable of making technology as intelligent as a human, you could be wrong.

“I believe there is no deep difference between what can be achieved by a biological brain and what can be achieved by a computer,” he added.

Hawking has a history of being cautious about A.I., particularly with a free will, stating that the technology could lead to the destruction of humanity.

“In the future, A.I. could develop a will of its own — a will that is in conflict with ours,” he said.

Hawking also has concerns that A.I. could be used to oppress others or to develop “powerful autonomous weapons.”

It isn’t all doom and gloom, however. He also mentioned some significant benefits the technology could bring.

“Perhaps with the tools of this new technological revolution, we will be able to undo some of the damage done to the natural world by the last one — industrialization. And surely we will aim to finally eradicate disease and poverty,” he said.