The Telegraph

Artificial intelligence and the implications of its rapid growth

Big changes: AI takes many different forms, and already permeates our everyday life

Oliver Pickup



As artificial intelligence reinvents every business, chief executives have a responsibility to consider the implications of this transformative technology.

Artificial intelligence is no longer the subject of science fiction, or something we are going to see in 20 or 30 years,” said Vinod Kumar, chief executive of Tata Communications, in his welcome address at the recent 2016 CEO Summit with the theme “Artificial intelligence meets emotional intelligence”.

Mr Kumar set the scene for the summit, which gathered 60 business leaders and tech trendsetters at Coworth Park in Ascot, Berkshire, to discuss possible threats and opportunities in the coming AI age.

We need to define the rules of this game, the control, the security

He said: “AI takes many different forms, and permeates all aspects of our lives today. We now have a variety of technologies where intelligent machines, powered by advances in micro-technology and superfast connectivity and cloud computing, are changing the way we live and work. Beyond driverless cars and very smart computers that can beat chess champions, there are numerous mundane applications of AI which are enabled by simple sensors connected to smartphone SIM cards. To harness the potential of AI it is critical to be open-minded, and have a willingness to learn.”

Randy Dean, chief business officer of San Francisco-based Sentient Technologies and a session leader at the summit, went further. “AI’s disruptive nature means we are beginning to see seismic advances in healthcare, transport, agriculture, banking and many other domains. I would say everything invented in the past 150 years will be reinvented using AI within the next 15 years.”

Fears over mass unemployment, internet security and the prospect of machines achieving human-like consciousness were raised.

To harness the potential of AI it is critical to be open-minded, and have a willingness to learn

The futurist Gerd Leonhard said: “There needs to be a paradigm shift, so companies are more efficient, but also to reassign human talent that will basically live on top of technology. I’m 90 per cent positive AI will be used for good, but we need to define the rules of this game, the control mechanism, security, and everything which is currently out of touch.”

Konstantinos Karachalios, managing director of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ Standards Association, believes boundaries must be set to prevent harmful AI being spawned. “AI poses clear dilemmas,” he said. “Who is in charge? Does this mean humans give up being free agents? Now ethical dilemmas are answered by the companies who do the programming but surveys show people want others – neutral bodies, themselves or governments – to be in charge.

“Many computer programmers use a ‘quick and dirty’ ideology to get the product on the market, letting others find the bugs or deal with unintended consequences. This cannot continue. It is the wrong practice and, with AI, very dangerous for our future.” The first AI code-of-conduct charter will be published in October. Mr Karachalios said: “You cannot expect every technologist to be a philosopher or sociologist, but the companies that produce critical software must introduce in the design workflow system moments where knowledgeable, intelligent people get time to reflect. This may mean the product takes more time to get to market, which is seen as a disadvantage in an era when the first gets it all.”

We are trying to connect the world and break down borders using digital technology

A consistent, secure connection is vital, too. And Tata Communications, whose network carries almost a quarter of the world’s internet routes, is well positioned to assist. This fourth annual chief executives’ summit emphasised the company’s ambition to be an enabler and innovator for platform economies and the cloud. “We have a very strong vested interest in the enablement of AI,” Mr Kumar said. “But equally we are using AI ourselves to improve our business and create new domains to operate in. It is our raison d’être at Tata Communications to identify the largest business issues and highlight the great opportunities we face.

“We believe innovation comes from diversity. The only way these big issues can be tackled is by bringing a diverse audience together and through working together. We need to look at it from all angles, and develop robust solutions which will have long-lasting benefits to us all.

“Whether your journey is in AI, internet of things, augmented reality, cloud or virtual reality, at Tata Communications we do a lot in terms of the underlying plumbing and the platforms but also play our part in big ecosystems. We are trying to connect the world and break down borders using digital technology.”

Tata Communications

  • 24pc of global internet routes are carried by Tata Communications 
  • 99.7pc of the world’s GDP is generated by countries that are reached by this internet backbone
  • Tata Communications hascreated a programme called Shape the Future, inviting employees to submit ideas with the potential to become a $200m business within 10 years and touch billions
  • 400 million people in India who will benefit from its first IoT network, being built in cities including Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore by Tata Communications

See how you can connect your business at tatacommunications.com