AI and Humans: Security and Ethics in Focus

AI offers immense potential but comes with challenges like security and truthfulness, according to Karl Henrik Johansson, Professor of Network Regulation at KTH and Director of Digital Futures. “AI is a powerful tool, but it’s not infallible,” Johansson explains, emphasizing the importance of human-AI interaction to benefit society in a recent article on the KTH website.

Johansson’s career has been intertwined with AI, including work on autonomous systems and AI-powered technologies like self-driving cars. He highlights that AI is transforming areas like energy, transport, health, and urban planning. For example, cars have evolved from mechanical vehicles to highly digital systems, raising ethical dilemmas about safety and control.

The key challenge, Johansson notes, is not collecting data but teaching machines to recognize patterns and make reliable decisions. This concern extends to everyday AI tools like ChatGPT, where ensuring the accuracy of AI-generated content is crucial.

Johansson warns of potential risks, such as AI shaping a uniform way of thinking due to the nature of its training data. Despite these concerns, he believes that society can harness its potential responsibly by understanding AI better and critically guiding its development. Looking to the future, Johansson envisions AI becoming a collaborative tool for researchers and students alike.

Read the article by Jill Klackenberg on the KTH website.
Photo: Theresia Köhlinon