The Rise of AI: Should AI be regulated?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer just a buzzword—it has rapidly evolved into a crucial part of many industries worldwide. Along with its growth, discussions about regulating AI and ensuring its ethical use have become increasingly important.
In Pakistan, AI is making its way into sectors like e-commerce and finance, following the trends seen globally. However, concerns about the risks AI may pose, similar to those depicted in sci-fi movies, still exist. Although these risks seem far off, many experts emphasize the need for AI safety to prevent scenarios where AI could act on its own, potentially creating challenges for humans.
Addressing Global AI Threats
In November 2023, a global summit was held to discuss the potential risks AI could pose in the future. However, many critics believe that instead of focusing on hypothetical threats, we should address the real issues AI is already causing. These include bias in AI, the spread of misinformation, and the violation of intellectual property and human rights. These issues are particularly significant in Pakistan, where data protection laws are still developing.
The main challenge is finding a balance between encouraging innovation and ensuring safety.
Failures of AI in Real Life
AI systems have already made significant errors. For instance, Google’s AI once misidentified black people as gorillas, and facial recognition software has often misidentified individuals with darker skin tones due to biased training data. In recruitment, AI tools have shown a preference for male candidates, leading to gender discrimination. learn more About failure click here.
Another growing issue is deep fakes, where AI is used to create false videos or audio, often for malicious purposes like spreading fake political messages. In Pakistan, as social media use grows, these risks also increase. Additionally, artists have raised concerns about AI misusing their work without permission, highlighting the need for stronger intellectual property protection.
The Call for Ethical AI
Experts are now stressing the importance of ensuring that AI systems respect human rights and promote fairness. It’s crucial that AI technologies be designed in a way that does not reinforce existing biases or inequalities. Instead, they should be used to create more equal opportunities for all.
Equitable access to AI education is also essential, ensuring that people from all backgrounds can learn about AI and its benefits. This is especially important as AI continues to affect the job market, potentially displacing some roles while creating new ones.
Challenges Facing Current AI Systems
Although AI has made impressive advancements, especially with large language models (LLMs), these systems still have significant flaws. According to Jawad Raza, a top innovator in data analytics, these systems often produce inaccurate results or “hallucinations.” They also struggle to understand real-world contexts and can provide unreliable reasoning.
Various organizations, including Unesco, emphasize that AI systems must be transparent and easy to understand. This is essential to protect human rights and ensure AI is used responsibly. There must be regulations that monitor AI’s development, ensuring it doesn’t harm people or violate existing rights.
Where Does Pakistan Stand?
Pakistan is still in the early stages of creating regulations for artificial intelligence, but the country is aware of the growing need for AI governance. As the Personal Data Protection Bill moves forward, regulations must protect privacy and ensure that AI applications operate safely.
Muhammad Aamir, Senior Director at 10Pearls, highlights that secure data handling is critical for AI systems to work properly. Developers need guidelines that focus on transparency, ensuring that AI tools are fair and accountable.
Aamir also stresses that specific regulations are needed for industries like healthcare and law enforcement, where AI must operate responsibly. Equitable access to AI education must be prioritized, especially for marginalized communities, including women and persons with disabilities.
Final Thoughts
As AI continues to evolve, balancing innovation with ethical considerations is essential. Pakistan, like many countries, is working to establish rules that will protect people’s rights while allowing AI technology to thrive. The future of AI in Pakistan depends on how quickly and effectively regulations can be developed and implemented.
