Damianou says AI’s impact will depend on human choices

Nicosia, Cyprus. Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy Nicodemos Damianou said artificial intelligence should be treated as an opportunity rather than an inherent threat, with its effects determined by human decisions and institutional choices.

Speaking on Tuesday at the University of Cyprus, Damianou said the greater risk was that people could misuse AI or make wrong decisions about its deployment.

Public lecture series

Damianou spoke at the first in a series of public lectures and open discussions titled “Artificial Intelligence Today and Tomorrow – Risk or Opportunity; Ally or Enemy?”.

He said he did not believe AI would eventually take control of the world or destroy humanity.

“I want to start directly with my own answer to the question in the title of these lectures,” Damianou said.

Human responsibility

Damianou rejected the concept of technological singularity, saying he did not believe AI would inevitably become powerful enough to dominate humanity.

“I do not believe in the ‘technological singularity’ – the famous singularity,” he said.

“It is much more likely that we will destroy society and the economies as we know them, either by misusing AI or by making wrong decisions about AI,” he added.

Rules and purpose

Damianou said AI was neither inherently an ally nor an enemy, arguing that its ultimate impact depended on people and institutions.

“AI is therefore neither an ally nor an enemy by nature,” he said.

“The answer is given by our own choices: what purpose we design these systems for, under what rules we use them and how firmly we insist that the human being remains at the centre and at the helm,” Damianou said.

He added that the University of Cyprus’ decision to begin the lecture series with a discussion rooted in Aristotle was particularly appropriate.