Analyzing the surge in AI technology and its potential risks

Surge in Artificial Intelligence use and concerns The use of AI is growing around the globe including Waterloo region. But as CTV’s Heather Senoran explains, users should be cautious.

We’ve seen an explosion in the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), largely thanks to easy-to-access programs like ChatGPT. But it’s raising questions about how technology can be used and the possible risks it poses.

ChatGPT is the fastest-growing digital platform in history, with more than 100 million users in within two months of its launch.

“WhatsApp took three years to get that. Facebook took five years to get that,” said Arvind Raman, BlackBerry’s senior vice president and chief information security officer.

In January, BlackBerry surveyed 1,500 cyber-security decision makers around the world. More than three-fourths of respondents predicted an AI-credited attack will occur within two years, with the vast majority believing many may already be leveraging it for malicious purposes.

Raman said users should be careful as AI uses crowdsourcing information to make it better.

“[There are] legal, privacy, copyright concerns, IP source concerns. Several of those implications are there,” Raman said.

BlackBerry said while many believe ChatGPT is mainly being used for good, there are steps organizations can take to determine its impact on the workplace. The first step is understanding what you’re working with.

“One of the best ways might be to have a sandboxed environment where the organization can create an environment where they can test it, play with it, understand the benefits, and understand the risks. And then put some guidelines around how to use it,” said Raman.

But local tech experts said there isn’t much you can do to stop AI.

Maura Grossman, a research professor in the School of Computer Science at the University of Waterloo, said all you can do is learn to cautiously adapt.

“I don’t think we have much choice. It’s here,” Grossman told CTV News. “Now the question becomes having a discussion about what are the flaws. Where is it appropriate to use? Where do we need to be more careful and cautious?”

One PhD student CTV News spoke to at UW said he uses AI to bounce ideas off of, and admitted it isn’t perfect.

“It’s important to not take it as gospel. It's good to think about it as a smart, but flawed, friend,” said student Jigar Patel.