In the global race to build faster and smarter artificial intelligence systems, the word "superintelligence" is often used to describe a future AI that’s capable of doing anything the human brain can do. Whole companies are built on the premise that building such generalized systems is possible, and executives at some of the world’s largest and most prominent AI companies offer predictions about when they think this might happen, ranging from just a few years to a few decades.
But what is superintelligence, and practically speaking, what does the race to build it mean?
In this project, audio journalist Jennifer Strong created and hosted a documentary-style radio program exploring the history of this superintelligence race and its implications.
In this project, we first set up how we got to this moment in AI's development. Next, we explore the perceived and real threats of the AI race, from existential fears, to an erosion of trust, privacy, and consent. Finally, we dig into the ethical challenges and opportunities presented by current AI systems.
