If the mere mention of artificial intelligence brings to mind an apocalyptic vision of robots enslaving humankind, or a dystopic future dominated by tech, then let me put your mind at rest. AI technology is already all around us and, what's more, as legislators we are striving to make the opposite a reality: we are intent on making sure that all AI systems are human-centric - in short, machine serving man and not the other way around.
In simple terms, an AI system is any system that is able to study its environment, collect and interpret data and then give an output, or an action, based on that interpreted data. We are living in exciting times, with the 21st century shaping itself to be a rapid, transformative era in technology and AI.
AI is already firmly entrenching itself in our everyday lives. Google Maps' app., for instance, uses data collected from our smartphones, analyses the speed of traffic and proposes alternative routes. Our own in-boxes use AI to filter spam emails away from our main inboxes. Facebook, and similar social media platforms, have been suggesting friends to tag in the photos we upload, using AI to power facial recognition software. Apple's famous Siri, of course, makes use of AI to successfully reply to our verbal queries. In Berlin, driverless buses are being tested for the first time ever, thanks to AI systems in transportation.
Well and truly, AI is the present and not just the future. So how do we make sure it is used as a tool to improve our quality of life, rather than just to enhance corporate profits? How do we regulate who is liable and accountable for the actions of AI systems which can, at times, be unpredictable and potentially harmful? And finally, how much will we invest in this ground-breaking technology and how do we prioritise research in this sector?
This is the ongoing debate in the European Parliament. I remain convinced that we have to tackle the issue not just through the economic point of view but also through the social and ethical perspectives.
In a free market economy, of course, the financial aspect of AI remains paramount. Nevertheless, I argue that, as legislators, we have to treat the economy as a tool to improve the lives of all Europeans and not strive towards higher and higher economic success for its own sake. I have, for instance, pushed for stronger resources for our small-to-medium enterprises, the backbone of our economy, particularly in Malta. We have to ensure that our SMEs are able to adapt to the technological revolution and to not only survive, but to thrive.
We have to accelerate the digital transformation of our enterprises if we want them to compete and we can do this by creating a legal framework that reflects the technological context of 2020. Our laws and policies must mean simpler processes and greater access to public procurement and resources.
I give great importance to the success of SMEs because they represent most of our workers and families. If they prosper, our societies prosper - and that should be our aim in the European Parliament.
We have the unique opportunity to shape AI into a system that eases and improves our lives through proper human oversight, robust privacy and security laws, and a focus on environmental and social well-being, as well as non-discrimination. By investing in research, we can address issues currently found in AI, such as data biases, leading to unfair decision-making as well as difficulties in explaining how certain systems reach their conclusions.
The robots are taking over, but we have to ensure that they take over in exactly the way we need them to. Thanks to careful planning and regulation, we can use AI to our collective advantage to create a more efficient and fair society in which to live.
Dr Cutajar is a Member of the European Parliament