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Why are Memories Forgotten?

Do you remember what you ate for dinner two months ago? Or do you remember the last text message you sent to that friend you last talked to? For most of you, no, you don’t know, our minds are just simply not made to remember insignificant details, but some people can remember, but most forget. So why do we forget things, and how are they stored? Firstly, how are memories made in the first place? As much as we talk about the brain being this muscle being capable of being highly intelligent with an inner monologue and mental thinking capacity; most of our brain is made up of neurons.  According to the Brain Institute of Queensland, neurons are fundamental units of the brain and nervous system, responsible for the sensory input from the external world, relaying motor and thinking skills, transforming and relaying electrical signals for every step. When we experience something, the neurons in our brain physically interact with our senses, and create something called s...

Ethical implications of AI technologies

July 2023


The ability of computers or software to carry out operations that ordinarily require human intelligence, such as reasoning, learning, decision-making, and problem-solving, is known as artificial intelligence (AI). In recent years, AI technologies have advanced quickly, opening up several prospects and benefits for a variety of industries, including healthcare, education, business, and entertainment. To ensure that AI is used responsibly and advantageously for people and the environment, substantial ethical issues and risks need to be addressed and regulated.

Using and creating AI systems raises a number of ethical concerns, some of which are as follows:

Safety and harm: Due to mistakes, malfunctions, hacks, or malevolent design, AI systems have the potential to purposefully or accidentally hurt people, animals, or the environment. For instance, military drones can kill unarmed citizens, driverless cars can create accidents that result in fatalities or serious injuries, facial recognition technology can mistakenly identify suspects or activists, and chatbots can disseminate false information or hate speech. To ensure their security and safety, AI systems must be developed and tested while adhering to moral standards like beneficence, non-maleficence, and accountability.

Bias and discrimination: Due to the data they are trained on, the algorithms they employ, or the circumstances in which they are used, AI systems may reflect or exacerbate human biases and prejudices, such as racism, sexism, or ageism. For instance, qualified applicants may be rejected by hiring processes because of their gender or ethnicity; borrowers may be denied loans because of their zip code or income; various groups may not have equal access to or care from healthcare systems; and social media platforms may filter or manipulate information based on user preferences or profiles. As a result, fairness and diversity must be considered while developing and testing AI systems, and these systems must also uphold ethical standards like justice, equality, and inclusion.

Privacy and data protection: In order to operate and perform better, AI systems rely on a lot of sensitive and personal data, including biometric information, medical records, financial transactions, and internet behavior. However, individuals run the risk of identity theft, fraud, blackmail, or manipulation if their data is gathered, stored, shared, or used without their knowledge or consent. For instance, voice assistants can listen to conversations or follow directions; face recognition systems can track people's movements or emotions; recommender systems can sway people's decisions or attitudes; and data brokers can sell people's personal information to outside parties.

Various ethical frameworks have been proposed by various stakeholders, including governments, international organizations, academic institutions, civil society groups, or industry leaders, to address these ethical issues and ensure that AI is used in a responsible and beneficial way for humanity and the environment. These frameworks seek to offer direction and guidelines for the creation and application of AI systems based on shared ideals and principles.

These frameworks all share a number of ideals and principles, including:

  • Human dignity: AI systems should respect each person's intrinsic dignity and worth.
  • Human rights: AI systems should uphold and support each person's basic freedoms and rights.
  • Human oversight: AI systems should always be under the constant control and supervision of humans.
  • Transparency: Humans should be able to comprehend and explain AI technologies.
  • Accountability: AI systems must take ownership of their decisions and results.
  • Fairness: AI should be devoid of prejudice and discrimination.
  • Beneficence: AI systems should improve both human and environmental health.
  • Non-maleficence: AI systems ought to refrain from endangering
  • people or the environment.
  • Sustainability: AI systems ought to contribute to the long-term survival of both people and the environment.

AI technologies have the ability to significantly improve many facets of society and daily life. They also pose major hazards and ethical challenges, which call for regulation. It is critical to create ethical frameworks for AI that respect human dignity, rights, oversight, transparency, accountability, justice, beneficence, non-maleficence, and sustainability. By doing this, we can ensure that AI is applied responsibly and in a way that is beneficial for both people and the environment.

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