Machines will eventually achieve a human-like consciousness but do not pose a threat to the survival of mankind, Microsoft head of research Eric Horvitz says, in comments that place him at odds with technologist Elon Musk and theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking.

1. Artificial intelligence nota threat: Microsoft's Eric Horvitz contradicts
Elon Musk,Stephen Hawking,Bill Gates
Date January 29, 2015
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Tim Biggs
Technology reporter / producer
Nothing to worry about: The RoboThespian interactive humanoid robot, developed by
Engineered Arts. Photo: Kiyoshi Ota
Machines will eventually achieve a human-like consciousness but do not pose a threat to the
survival of mankind, Microsoft head of research Eric Horvitz says, in comments that place him
at odds with technologist Elon Musk and theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking.
"There have been concerns about the long-term prospect that we lose control of certain kinds of
intelligences," Horvitz said in an interview after being awarded the prestigious AAAI
Feigenbaum Prize for his contribution to artificial intelligence (AI) research, "[but] I
fundamentally don't think that's going to happen".
"I think that we will be very proactive in terms of how we field AI systems, and that in the end
we'll be able to get incredible benefits from machine intelligence in all realms of life, from
science to education to economics to daily life."
Ex Machina is one of thousands of films to explore the idea of hostile AI."
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2. Science fiction: Alex Garland's Ex Machina is one of thousands of films to explore the idea of
hostile AI.
In a later blog, Horvitz admitted the procession of AI towards super-intelligence would present
challenges in the realms of privacy, law and ethics, but pointed to an essay he had co-authored
which concludes that "AI doomsday scenarios belong more in the realm of science fiction than
science fact".
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Meanwhile technologist Elon Musk, co-founder of PayPal and founder of SpaceX and Tesla
Motors, has repeatedly expressed concerns about the development of AI, first likening it to the
production of nuclear weapons and then claiming mankind was "summoning the demon" by
pursuing the technology carelessly.
Famed physicist Stephen Hawking recently said AI "could spell the end of the human race". He
added that the technology would eventually become self-aware and "supersede" humanity as it
developed faster than biological evolution.
Even Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who has stepped back from the company to pursue
philanthropic work with his Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is concerned about AI getting
away from us.
Speaking during a Reddit AMA on Thursday morning, Gates was asked how much of an
"existential threat" the development of super-intelligent machines posed to mankind.
"I am in the camp that is concerned about super intelligence", said Gates.
"First the machines will do a lot of jobs for us and not be super intelligent. That should be
positive if we manage it well. A few decades after that though the intelligence is strong enough
to be a concern. I agree with Elon Musk and some others on this and don't understand why some
people are not concerned".
Possibly partially explaining Horvitz's view on AI systems, he also revealed that "over a quarter"
of all resources at his research unit were now focused on developing the technology.

3. Microsoft has already introduced its digital assistant Cortana (based ambitiously and worryingly
on the advanced AI from the Halo games, a fictional world in which all AI eventually becomes
rampant) for Windows phone and desktop operating systems, and Horvitz believes the only
battle on the horizon will be between companies developing competing AI standards.
"We have Cortana and Siri and Google Now setting up a competitive tournament for where's the
best intelligent assistant going to come from", Horvitz said, "and that kind of competition is
going to heat up the research and investment, and bring it more into the spotlight."
In addition to personal data assistants, the development of AI and automation continues to
progress rapidly and in all directions, as in the last few weeks alone we've seen both an AAAI
competition entry that allows Super Mario to become self-aware and a move from Foxconn to
switch out a huge chunk of its workforce for a million robots.
In outlining a long-term plan for his company after posting an unexpectedly large profit last
quarter, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed he also was planning to get into the AI
business.
Meanwhile Zuckerberg, along with Musk, has become an investor in the "Vicarious" program,
which hopes to produce a "unified algorithmic architecture" to imbue machines with human-like
consciousness and control over their faculties.