What's behind Hollywood's—and Trump's—obsession with making AI "super"
Super intelligence, or superintelligence, is a name change meant to distract from the very human problems with AI.
Hollywood and Donald Trump's fascination with making AI "super" stems from a marketing strategy rather than an accurate depiction of the technology's real challenges. In Robert and Michelle King's legal drama Cupertino, an AI character named Bo serves as a fantastical representation, far removed from the actual risks posed by contemporary AI.
The show's creators appear to be regurgitating a reality spread by AI enthusiasts in politics, business, and Hollywood, who are engaging in a three-year-long branding exercise to promote the future of AI, rather than addressing the present dangers. AI's overselling of capabilities, dating back to 1956 when the term was coined by John McCarthy, has inspired the imagination of writers and fueled the ambitions of tech oligarchs.
However, the real danger of AI lies in its current applications, such as deciding government programs to cut, finding security flaws on the web, and selecting military targets. While the future impact of AI remains uncertain, it is not due to its potential to become a super-intelligent entity that could threaten humanity, but rather due to its current use in areas that could have disastrous consequences.
Written by urgent.news from The A.V. Club's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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