Artificial intelligence or ‘AI’ is a term for simulated intelligence in machines. These machines are programmed to ‘think’ like a human and mimic the way a person acts. (www.investopedia.com).

Artificial intelligence is the science of the future, a new and innovative idea that will transform our current understanding and current uses of technology. However, there is a lot of controversy surrounding AI as some worry that technology will develop so much that humans will no longer be needed to perform some jobs. Not only do people fear that AI will advance to the point that it will be able to take over blue collar jobs such as mining, fieldwork and construction, but AI will become so advanced that it will take over white collar jobs such as lawyers and doctors and this makes people fear for the future of the human race. How will people earn for a living if they are no longer needed?

In order to learn more about this, I went to the Victoria and Albert Museum in Knightsbridge, London to attend the Artificially Intelligent display. This was an excellent and extremely informative display that helped me learn a lot more about this topic and it also had an extensive range of interactive displays which were truly fascinating. There were a range of interesting facts and pieces by different artists and software designers. One was a machine by Nye Thompson, a software designer and artist who made ‘The seeker’ which is ‘a machine entity which sees the world through security camera ‘eyes’ and uses machine learning to interpret all its visions….the installation presents a dialogue between human and machine whilst each striving to understand the others view point.'

The display as a whole focused on our increasing dependence and growing relationships with technology and how this may affect us in the future.

Sarah Daly, a student from Wimbledon said that ‘I am fascinated by the potential of technology and AI but like others fear that it may develop to the point that humans may no longer be needed.’ My experience made me realize that it is amazing that scientists, artists and software developers are able to utilize technology to create and plan the creation of the once unimaginable. However, to answer the question, will robots take over planet Earth? It seems to be likely that technology will advance yet I believe that there will always be a need for humans and that robots will not completely take over as if humans are creating them, they should recognize the need to ensure that they do not take over completely.

The AI display is still on at the Victoria and Albert Museum and is available to visit until Monday 31st December between 10am and 5pm and it’s free! Go and explore and see if you agree or not.