“Alert by Intel Analysts Precedes Las Vegas Event: Artificial Intelligence is the New Bomber’s Best Friend!”
“Before Las Vegas, Intel Analysts Warned That Bomb Makers Were Turning to AI”
“In 2022, the past feels a long way off—a reality TV star in the White House, an Uber self-driving car mowing down a pedestrian, Elon Musk unveiling a steel polygon on wheels and calling it Cybertruck. But the last few years feel both far away and terrifyingly present, ghostly reminders that the future seems to be arriving faster than ever.”
As futuristic as 2022 may sound, it undoubtedly drags along the shadows of events that seem both far gone and undeniably near. Bizarre occurrences that happened just yesterday, like having a former reality TV star running the country like his personal business, a self-driving car turning a pedestrian into a garden gnome, or Elon Musk peacocking around with a steel polygonal vehicle he labeled Cybertruck, all add some sort of nostalgic spice to our chronicle. Time has a funny way of warping our perception, and there’s no denying that it feels like the future is crashing into the present at supersonic speed.
Let’s detour to the subject of artificial intelligence, which continues to make headlines with positive developments and, of course, setbacks. Homeland Security’s “Innovation Conversations” emphasized the agency’s interest in AI to enhance national security. While we’re at it, what’s more “2022” than exploiting cutting-edge technology to outsmart potential threats?
From facial recognition tools to risk-prediction systems, AI helps facilitate a quick scan of international travelers, facilitated by biometric information. Despite this, let’s not dismiss the potential risks of misuse or the ethical concerns wrapped around these systems like a boa constrictor around its next meal. Or the fact that while AI might promise to catch the bad guys, it certainly doesn’t guarantee the total absence of false positives or negatives.
Moving on to the disaster that was the anonymous report of a bomb threat in Las Vegas during the Consumer Electronics Show week. The sound of panic drowned out the tantalizing whispers of the upcoming tech trends and innovative gadgets. Yes, this year, the usual array of mind-boggling inventions had to share the spotlight with a bomb threat, allegedly delivered via two rather polite, possibly bored drones.
Still on the topic of drones, the FAA had a close encounter of the annoying kind with a spate of mystery drone incursions during the shutdown period. Despite their best efforts at being the stick-in-the-mud, they’ve yet to nab the antagonist(s) behind these nifty unmanned vehicles.
Then, the fourth Musk-eteer, also known as Elon, must have felt slighted when the Cybertruck barely made a ripple in media circles. Perhaps tiring of planet Earth’s lukewarm response, he took his steel polygon for a spin around space, possibly looking for Martians who might appreciate his unique aesthetics.
So, what does this montage of events tell us about our future? With progress comes associated challenges. As we interact with technological advances, adaptation and negotiation of these challenges will be the norm. As intriguing as the future might feel, it’s without a doubt marred by the ghost of technological stumbles. We can only hope that the tech world learns to leverage its own advancements to prevent, detect, and tackle these hurdles.