Artificial intelligence is impacting and influencing our lives in many ways. We are so busy creating machines that would think, act, and behave like humans that we have stopped thinking about its repercussions to the human race. Our future is being placed in the hands of something we do not even have the capacity to understand. We, as humans have created something so advanced and intricate that it is now impossible for us to even understand them. How they work, what methods or reasoning they use to make certain decisions, or how are these machines processing the available data to predict the future? These are just some of the many reasons which are making it hard for humans to trust their machine counterparts and build a stronger, more trusting relationship. This is what led to the need for Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) which aims at making machines more understandable for humans.
Why Was There a Need For XAI?
We are trusting machines we hardly even understand. Not all machines are created for negative purposes but what if the good ones go bad? Since we do not understand the machines and their working, we will never be able to tell what purpose each component of the machine serves and how it helps impact our lives. It is only logical to build a better understanding of what we have created instead of letting it go unattended into the world. AI is very beneficial but it has its own risks as well which make it even more important for us to look into the safety of the AI machines we have developed. AI can be dangerous and a huge risk to the safety of the human race when:
It is Programmed to Control us
AI machines are being used extensively in a lot of applications. Apple’s Siri, Microsoft’s Cortona, and OK Google are just some of the many products that make use of AI algorithms to give our machines a mind to think, learn analyze, and review on their own. It is just the beginning of the change which is slowly picking up pace. The machines are being given the power to change and impact our whole life. We are allowing the AI machines to make decisions for us without even understanding some of the steps they take. It is not the “what” but “why” which needs some probing and research. These machines are being programmed to even judge how and what we are feeling so it would be only fair for us to understand how exactly are they doing it. If we fail to do so, we will be judged and owned by the AI machines with no idea of what the future would lead to.
It is Programmed to do Something Good but Adopts a Wrong Way to Do So
Most of the time, AI machines are created to serve humanity. But what if the end result goes through a path that is destructive and wrong? Will we have any way of knowing and consequently preventing that? The machines may be doing what we inherently asked them to do but at the cost of something we are not ready for. It is in such scenarios that the means become more important than the end result. If we do not understand how a machine works, how will we ever justify its approach or correct it if the need arises?
These artificial intelligence machines are being used in medicine as well. When the future and fate of human life is being placed into its hands, it becomes more important for us to understand their working and take corrective measures where necessary.
What is XAI?
Explainable Artificial Intelligence, XAI, is a move that is initiated to help humans understand, interact, and develop the AI machines better. In order to understand what the algorithm suggests, it is important to understand how the algorithm works. The uses of AI machines are endless but for humans to trust them completely, they need to understand how these machines work. This is the only way through which humans can know that these machines won’t fail us and let us down in times of need. It is important to understand how machines think so that we can develop them better. The whole future of AI machines depends on our understanding levels and how we decide to use the understanding of our processes. For this, humans need to understand how an algorithm works, the basic layers of networking, the comparisons of different processes, and their functionality in order to understand the decisions the AI machines take.
Future of AI and the Need For XAI
Machines are destined to grow more intelligent than humans in the near future. With us not understanding how they work, the future of these machines will be put at greater risk. In order for us to be the ones in control, we have to be the smartest always. This is what is going to safeguard our future. Involving different explanation techniques with the machines’ working models can help us develop a better understanding of these machines. We are stepping into a world where we are developing self-driving cars that will help impact the human race and their daily life. From military to underwater weapons, AI machines are being used in every walk of life. This makes it even more important for us to understand the machines we are developing.
Our generation is set to step into the world so technologically advanced that our ancestors would not even have dreamt of it. This prompts us to gain all the insights and knowledge needed to be a part of the race and still outsmart all our technological advancements. In order to win the race against the technology, it is important that we not only reach but also exceed the level the AI machines would be setting for the human race. A lot of research is being carried out in the field of XAI to create prototypes that will help improve machine-human interaction. Once these prototypes are approved they will be available for commercial use as well.
Key Takeaways
- Humans have always been the smartest of all the creations on this planet. It is not justified to create machines that would eventually outsmart us.
- Machines always need humans to control and monitor them to keep them in check. All is not lost right now. This is the reason, the need to step into Explainable AI was felt because placing the future of our upcoming generations and planet in the hands of the machines we didn’t understand was just too risky.