Artificial intelligence certainly has the potential to take over administrative and repetitive activities, but a set of rules is essential. That was the conclusion at the Dürnstein symposium on the subject of “The brain and its society”.
The Dürnstein symposium is dedicated to the phenomenon of artificial intelligence (AI) under the general topic “The brain and its society”. At the opening on Thursday evening, the chances and possibilities of AI were questioned and mainly sceptically examined in the local monastery.
“Viagra for intelligence” is the AI, a “disembodied, antisocial entity” without emotional intelligence, said Ursula Baatz, curator of the symposium, in her introduction. The ChatGTP software in particular also transports prejudices and is ultimately a kind of “statistical parrot”.
“Social media has totally overwhelmed us”
The participants in a panel discussion were also consistently critical. AI is neither artificial nor intelligent, but created and programmed by people, explained Giovanni Rubeis, Professor of Biomedical Ethics at the Karl Landsteiner Private University for Health Sciences. However, there is also great potential to relieve administrative and repetitive activities, which means that staff, especially in the medical field, could find more time to devote themselves to patients, Rubeis admitted.
On the one hand, AI is an “empowering tool” and on the other hand it raises the fear of being replaceable, explained Sabine T. Köszegi, Professor of Ergonomics and Organization at the Vienna University of Technology, and warned: “Social media has also totally overwhelmed us.”
set of rules required
Michael Mayrhofer, Professor of Public Law at the Johannes Kepler University in Linz, believes it is necessary to create sensible framework conditions, draw red lines and ensure transparency. He sees the automation of decision-making processes as a result of digitization a long time ago.
Adelheid Kastner, primary physician for forensic psychiatry at the Kepler University Hospital in Linz, demands that “get on your feet in good time to draft a set of rules” to counter threats such as manipulated opinion-forming. According to Kastner, AI makes life even more strenuous than it already is because “our brain has not developed at the same pace as technology.” The trend towards “always faster” overwhelms more and more people, who then opt out of society.
(APA/bagre)