Page 316 - IJET_July2021_final

bodies and human identity. Most of we may consider as smart, while ML is
our conceptions of technology and AI the application of AI where in the very
are shaped by what is showcased in machines get hold of significant data
popular culture and Hollywood films and allow them to learn with each and
and the narrative resembles more every successive bit of information
or less to the machines taking over they receive. The application phase of
human jobs, the robots as a clan are AI poses broader possibilities than ML.
out to overtake humans and rule them. Natural Language processing, biometric
However, Tegmark takes a nuanced and scanning and recognition, speech to
academically rigorous stance to answer text are some of the various nuances
the big question of what happens that surround us but go unnoticed due
when the human race ceases to be the to the fool-proof and sophisticated
smartest species on the planet. technology that it uses.

Tegmark in the first chapter, helps Except for Isaac Asimov’s ‘three laws of
the reader visualize bacteria as an robotics’ which was a part of his short
example of what he terms Life 1.0. Life story ‘Runaround’, little interest has
where both hardware and software been assimilated around AI, its potential
underwent evolution and were not and its threats. In India NITI Aayog
formed by design. This is what he called released a policy paper titled National
the biological stage. Life 2.0 on the other Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in the
hand has Humans as an example, whose year 2018, which took into account the
hardware that is the bodies evolved importance of AI in varied sectors. Even
through natural processes but whose when these developments are taking
software that is the mind was largely place heavily on the technological front
developed through acquired learnings globally, on the regulation front, no
like knowledge and algorithms used to major comprehensive plan of action has
process information using our senses been prepared yet.
and the ability to absorb knowledge Taking a leaf from other popular
through reading, writing, singing and science fiction books, Tegmark opens
even telling jokes. However, mankind the book with a fictional but probable
reached a stage which the author terms story concerning a super intelligent AI
as Life 3.0 in which ability to not only named Prometheus. Rightly named,
design but also evolve and develop both Prometheus under Greek Mythology
its software and hardware is achieved. was said to have moulded humans
This is the technological stage.
out of clay and taught them the basics
Even though the term AI has often of sciences and humanities thereby,
been thrown around by tech giants, it proving themselves more capable than
surely has many facets that are yet to the humans. From here the author
be explored. The term AI is most often takes us onto a non-fictional ride of one
used in conjunction with ML, however Future of Life Institute co-founded by
they carry their differences. For a himself and his wife and others.
simpler understanding, AI is the ability In continuation with this, the author
of machines to carry out functions that takes us into in depth analysis of every

306 Indian Journal of Educational Technology
Volume 3, Issue 2, July 2021