Ryan Bridge: Can we trust AI?

The robots are coming, and they reckon they'll be better than us humans at doing difficult, complex stuff - like being a doctor. 

Microsoft announced overnight "an artificial intelligence system that performs better than human doctors at complex health diagnoses". 

That's according to the Guardian, who say the company's AI unit is creating a “path to medical super-intelligence”.

So, Microsoft reckons their robot system “solved” more than eight of ten case studies.

The question you then start asking yourself is: do you trust AI to make important health decisions like that? Even though doctors don't always get it right, the thought of a computer deciding my fate is just weird. 

But if it's shown to work reliably, and it's accurate, I suppose why not? 

China meanwhile is into the robots, big time. 

A company there wants a humanoid robot cleaning our dishes and washing our clothes in a matter of years. They want one robot for every home. 

This, I can get onboard with. 

But you've got ask, with the robots apparently taking over lots of jobs, what are we going to do once they've completed their mission?

77% of companies are either using AI in business or actively trying to. Year-on-year growth of more than 100%.

77% of all devices being used have some form of AI. 

I get why it's happening in everything from health to housework, it's far more efficient. But with all the work being done by others, what's left to occupy our time? 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The robots are coming, look out everybody, and they reckon
they'll be better. Are us than us humans doing really difficult,
complex stuff like being a doctor. Microsoft has announced overnight
an artificial intelligence system, which I am just calling a
robot that performs better. This is what they're arguing performs
better than a human doctor at complex health diagnosis. This

(00:24):
is according to Guardian reporting. In the last couple of hours,
they say Microsoft's come out, their AI unit has come
out and said they're creating a path to medical superintelligence.
Lookout world. So they think in their case studies that
their AI doctor solves or correctly diagnosed eight out of

(00:46):
ten case studies, really complex ones eight out of ten.
The real doctors who didn't have access to the Internet
or to books or anything, the real doctors two out
of ten. So who you're going to trust? And that's
the question you start asking yourself. Do you trust AI
to make important decisions like health decisions on your behalf?
Even though doctors don't always get it right. The thought

(01:08):
of a computer deciding your fate is kind of weird,
hard to get used to. But if it's shown to
work reliably, if it's accurate, and I suppose why not. China, meanwhile,
is into robots big time. A company there wants a
humanoid robot cleaning our dishes and washing our clothes in
a matter of years. They had an exhibition this week.

(01:29):
They want one robot for every home and this I
can get on board with. But you've got to ask.
With the robots apparently taking every job under the sun,
they'll be cutting our hair soon, what are we going
to do once they've completed their mission to take over
the world? What do we do for work? Seventy seven
percent of companies are either using AI right now or

(01:49):
are actively trying to. Year on year growth for this
industry is now at more than one hundred percent. Seventy
seven percent of all devices in the world are currently
using some form of AI, and I get why this
is happening and everything from health to housework, because it's
far more efficient and cost effective to do this. But

(02:12):
with so much of the work being done by others,
what's left to occupy our time? For more from Early
Edition with Ryan Bridge, listen live to News Talk Set
B from five am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.