Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), IP links between Networks, Global Warming’s Impact on Weather Forecasting

(General Studies III – Sci & Tech section – Science and Technology- Developments and their Applications and Effects in Everyday Life. Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, Robotics, Nano-technology, Bio-technology and issues relating to Intellectual Property Rights.)

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to computer systems designed to perform tasks requiring human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and language understanding.
• The concept of AI dates back to Alan Turing’s 1950 paper, “Computing Machinery and Intelligence,” which introduced the Turing test as a benchmark for machine intelligence.
• AI is categorized into two main types: Narrow AI and Artificial General Intelligence (AGI).

Types of AI –

• Narrow AI (Weak AI): Designed for specific tasks with limited scope. Examples include voice assistants like Siri and Alexa, customer service chatbots, and recommendation engines.
• Artificial General Intelligence (AGI, Strong AI): Aims to mimic human cognitive abilities and perform any intellectual task a human can do. AGI is more advanced, capable of generalizing and adapting across various tasks and domains.

Potential Benefits of AGI –

• Healthcare: Enhanced diagnostics, treatment planning, and personalized medicine. As per a WHO report of 2021, AGI could analyse vast datasets from global health records to predict disease outbreaks and personalize treatments, potentially saving millions of lives.
• Finance and Business: Automation of processes, real-time analytics, and accurate market predictions. A McKinsey report of 2022 shows that AGI could analyse financial trends and data, providing real-time insights for better decision-making.
• Education: Adaptive learning systems tailored to individual student needs, potentially democratizing education. UNESCO report of 2022 mentions that AGI-driven platforms like Coursera and Khan Academy are already personalizing education, enhancing learning outcomes.

Concerns and Scepticism –

• Environmental Impact: High computational power consumption and e-waste generation. A study by MIT in 2021 shows that the development of large AI models like GPT-3 has significant carbon footprints.
• Employment and Inequality: Job losses and increased economic disparities. A 2020 report by the WEF predicts that AI could displace 85 million jobs by 2025.
• Security Vulnerabilities: New and unforeseen security risks. The rapid advancement of AI could introduce cyber threats that current systems are unprepared for.
• Regulation Challenges: Difficulty in keeping up with rapid AGI development. An OECD report of 2021 claims that policymakers struggle to create regulations that keep pace with technological advancements.
• Human Dependency: Loss of basic human skills and capabilities. Over-reliance on AI could erode critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Loss of Control: Experts like Stephen Hawking and AI pioneers have warned about AGI’s potential dangers, likening it to nuclear weapons.

Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) represents a transformative leap in AI technology, aiming to replicate human cognitive abilities across diverse tasks. Scientists should be careful in leveraging this technology to ensure that this small step for science becomes a giant leap for mankind.

• The International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons is observed on September 26.
• This year’s UN General Assembly agenda includes discussions on the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), distinguishing it from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
• The TPNW aims for total nuclear disarmament, while the NPT focuses on non-proliferation and limited disarmament.
• The TPNW, in force since 2021, prohibits the development, testing, stockpiling, and use of nuclear weapons.
• It extends beyond the NPT, addressing nuclear deterrence and disarmament directly.
• 97 countries have signed or ratified the TPNW, representing nearly 50% of the global commitment to controlling weapons of mass destruction.
• Nuclear-armed states and their allies, including India, have not signed the treaty, citing security concerns and strategic interests.
• India has not signed the NPT, viewing it as discriminatory, but has not actively undermined it.
• Similarly, India and other nuclear states could remain outside the TPNW without directly opposing it.
• The TPNW lacks strong enforcement mechanisms but holds the normative potential to delegitimize nuclear weapons, similar to the trajectory of chemical and biological weapons treaties.

Dig Deeper: Read about the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

• The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is urging telecom operators to improve call quality by establishing Internet Protocol (IP) links between networks, which would enhance the majority of smartphone calls, especially for calls between different mobile operators.
• With the rise of 4G and 5G networks, technologies like Voice over LTE (VoLTE) have improved call quality for subscribers on the same network, often marked as “HD” on phones.
• However, calls between users on different networks suffer from poor quality despite advanced telecom infrastructure and smartphone hardware.
• Although 79% of India’s networks are on 4G or 5G IP, operators are still using outdated interconnections, leading to subpar call quality between different networks.
• TRAI’s initiative aims to address this issue and improve the overall calling experience for users.

Dig Deeper: Read about Voice over LTE technology.

• The record warming of 2023-2024 has highlighted the severe effects of global warming, including heatwaves, cyclones, floods, and wildfires.
• The world may have crossed the 1.5°C warming threshold, but the duration and impact of this crossing are still uncertain.
• Despite improved meteorological forecasting, the intensity of warming surprised experts.
• Events like the 2023 monsoon and El Niño-La Niña cycles defied predictions, making climate forecasting increasingly complex.
• Volcanic eruptions (Hunga Tonga) and CO2 from wildfires may have contributed to the heightened warming.
• Reliable hyperlocal early warning systems are a crucial focus for future advancements.
• Climate projections rely on emission scenarios, population growth, and mitigation policies.
• Short-term projections are more reliable, while long-term predictions remain uncertain.

Dig Deeper: Read about the latest IPCC report for implications of temperature rise above 1.5 degrees Celsius.