Facebook is trying to dispel some of the stigma and pop-culture myths that surround AI with a series of six instructional videos that try to explain this complicated field of computer science. The timing of the AI campaign comes after critics have slammed Facebook for its role in distributing false information during the 2016 presidential campaign. “I think the more open we can be about it and the more we can demystify and explain how it actually works, the more quickly we can address concerns,” said Candela. “We want to tell people it’s not magic,” says LeCun. “This is not The Terminator. It’s real technology that’s useful.” In a blog post released by the duo, LeCun and Candela, wrote that there is nothing artificial about AI: “AI is a rigorous science focused on designing intelligent systems and machines, using algorithmic techniques borrowed from the human brain.” This, LeCun and Candela say, includes the ability to learn from the past and recognize patterns. One video explains how computers can detect certain elements of a photo despite where they are located in a frame. Another video explains how AI can tell the difference between a photo of a car and a photo of a dog. “AI is going to affect our lives and it’s going to affect technology and it’s very important to have some idea of how it works and what it can do,” LeCun said. LeCun said his team considers that ethical questions, such as how AI can be properly tested without causing harm and how it can be designed to avoid systematic bias, deserve more attention. “Is humanoid AI going to take over the world and kill us all? I’m not personally worried about that,” he said. Source: Facebook
