Penalties for using AI in wrong way

Artificial intelligence (AI) is doing a lot of good and will continue to provide many benefits for our modern world, but along with the good, there will inevitably be negative consequences. The sooner we begin to contemplate what those might be, the better equipped we will be to mitigate and manage the dangers.

If AI takes over menial tasks and allows humans to significantly reduce the amount of time they need to spend at a job, the extra freedom might seem like a utopia at first glance. However, in order to feel their life has a purpose, humans will need to channel their newfound freedom into new activities that give them the same social and mental benefits that their job used to provide. This might be easier for some people and communities than others. There will likely be economic considerations as well when machines take over responsibilities that humans used to get paid to do. The economic benefits of increased efficiencies are pretty clear on the profit-loss statements of businesses, but the overall benefits to society and the human condition are a bit more opaque.

Currently, the whole world has to deal with the adverse effects of AI content. South Korea has sentenced a man to two-and-a-half years in prison for creating images of child abuse using artificial intelligence. Although there are many cases of this allegation worldwide, this is the first in South Korea, CNN said in a report.

The 40-year-old was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison after pleading guilty earlier this month, the South Korean prosecutor's office in Busan said. The accused had created around 360 images using artificial intelligence last April. These pictures have not been published. The police seized the pictures. During the trial, lawyers said the law's definition of sexually abusive material should refer to "virtual people" instead of "the presence of real children" in the description of the sexual conduct. According to the law, sexually explicit content includes images that look like real children or minors using 'high-end' technology.

While our world is a much smaller place than ever before because of technology, this also means that AI technology that requires new laws and regulations will need to be determined among various governments to allow safe and effective global interactions. Since we are no longer isolated from one another, the actions and decisions regarding artificial intelligence in one country could adversely affect others very easily. We are seeing this already playing out, where Europe has adopted a robust regulatory approach to ensure consent and transparency, while the US and particularly China allows its companies to apply AI much more liberally.

Currently, the whole world has to deal with the adverse effects of AI content. Artificial intelligence is affecting everything from copyright and intellectual property to national security, personal safety and offensive content. Many are competing to control this technology. In particular, the sentencing case in South Korea shows how AI can be used to violate the safety of individuals, especially women and minors.

Similarly, there may be new AI-enabled form of terrorism to deal with: From the expansion of autonomous drones and the introduction of robotic swarms to remote attacks or the delivery of disease through nanorobots. Our law enforcement and defense organizations will need to adjust to the potential threat these present.

It will take time and extensive human reasoning to determine the best way to prepare for a future with even more artificial intelligence applications to ensure that even though there is potential for adverse impacts with its further adoption, it is minimized as much as possible.

As is the case with any disruptive event, these aren’t easy situations to solve, but as long as we still have humans involved in determining solutions, we will be able to take advantage of the many benefits of artificial intelligence while reducing and mitigating the negative impacts.

Earlier this month in Spain, the police started an investigation in the case of removing the clothes from the photos of a minor girl using AI and spreading them around the city. Last June, the European Union first imposed restrictions on the use of artificial intelligence in various organizations. Then in July, China also made a law in this regard.