What do you feel is the main benefit of AI?
In the best-case scenario, progress gives us greater freedom. Today, electricity is simply there, which is why you no longer have to think about fetching wood to cook or create heat. Progress gives us capacity for other things. Thanks to new technologies, we can move faster and produce more things more cheaply and more continuously. However, if we say that software increases efficiency, we have to ask ourselves what we do with the freedom or capacity we have gained. Do I produce more goods and use more energy? Is that a good idea? The positive aspect of creating more freedom depends on what we do with it – both individually and as a company.

… and what are the risks?
As the software evolves, there is a risk that the system will no longer be transparent to anyone. It will become a mega black box that we will allow to make many decisions. There will always be an interest in taking control of this black box. This is already evident in political disputes. The system is undemocratic and somewhat out of control. I understand the demand for transparency and an approval process for such software developments. Society wants regulations because there is enormous potential for misuse with damaging consequences. When developing new drugs, companies are required to provide proof that they do not have serious side effects.

AI applications are becoming increasingly prevalent in more and more areas of life. Can any misuse – whether criminal or political – be controlled at all?
Already, there are virtual influencers who look like people. If the software takes on a human form, it is more enticing. This increases the risk of manipulation and misuse. And this is why people are demanding that any form of AI that looks and speaks like a human being must be identifiable as an AI creation. To prevent misuse, you need to be aware to whom you are delegating decisions. When it comes to controlling masses, AI has considerable potential for misuse. This makes protective measures such as the aforementioned regulations all the more important.

With AI, the next level of automation in the world of work is just around the corner. In which areas do you already see these types of applications?
The focus is on AI applications for service providers. For example, many companies use chatbots to support customer service. But applications are available in the medical sector in the form of increasingly improved AI diagnostic tools, as well as in logistics or for fraud detection in finance.

What is the main goal? To accelerate processes or make work easier?
For businesses, the main goal is always to cut costs. So it’s about efficiency and increased productivity – faster and cheaper processes. Today, AI is mainly used for routine processes that involve the processing of large quantities of data. Since the new software not only enables faster and cheaper production but is now also able to learn, we have a system that learns extremely quickly. Humans learn too, but slowly. It therefore makes economic sense for companies to invest more in fast-learning systems. However, investing more in AI systems in the future than in natural, human intelligence entails enormous socio-political risks.

The next generation of AI will be able to recognise our emotions and communicate with us in real time. How will this change the world of work?
“Artificially intelligent characters” will be part of teams in the future. So teams will be made up of people and robots. It is quite conceivable that in certain areas the robot will be the boss.

… and our private everyday life?
AI will not act as a kind of boss, giving instructions to the family. Instead, it will help with things like calendar planning by providing tips and suggestions and help to better organise everyday life.

What impact will the prevalence of AI have on the psyche of employees?
The first effect is existential fear. It is not the new technology in itself that causes fear, but the prospect that AI will take people’s work away. No work, no job, no money, no existence. Existential fear is extremely stressful. As things stand, many employees have no idea what they will be needed for if AI does their job for them. Companies do not really have an answer to this question either.

Who is actually liable if the use of AI leads to loss or damage?
The question of liability is still unresolved. Who is liable if a chatbot provides information that leads to major financial losses for a customer? Or for the consequences of an incorrect medical diagnosis with serious consequences? The absence of liability regulations will hinder the development of artificial intelligence, in certain industries at least. This should also protect us from an uncontrolled proliferation of providers.