Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg Exchange Heated Words Over AI. Whose Side Are You On? – Inc.com

Tech billionaires Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg are engaged in a very public disagreement about the nature of artificial intelligence (machines that can think) and whether it's a boon or bane to society. It's almost as interesting to follow as the Hollywood supercouple-of-the-month's divorce proceedings.

Just kidding. Let's agree that the former is relevant, the latter ridiculous.

Musk has been warning for some time now that AI is "our greatest existential threat" and that we should fear perpetuating a world where machines are smarter than humans.

It's not that he's against AI: Musk has invested in several AI companies "to keep an eye on them." He's even launched his own AI start-up, Neuralink--intended to connect the human brain with computers to someday do mind blowing things like repair cancer lesions and brain injuries (for example).

Musk fears the loss of human control if AI is not very carefully monitored.

Zuckerberg sees things very differently and is apparently frustrated by the fear-mongering. The Facebook chief has made AI a strategic priority for his company. He talks about the advances AI could make in healthcare and self-driving cars, for example.

In a recent Facebook Live session where he was answering a question about Musk's continued warning on AI, the Facebook founder responded, "I think that people who are naysayers and kind of trying to drum up these doomsday scenarios--I just, I don't understand it. I think it's really negative and in some ways I actually think it is pretty irresponsible."

Musk quickly fired back with this tweet:

The debate is sure to continue to volley back and forth in a sort of Wimbledon of the Way Out There.

So, at the risk or Mr. Musk calling me out, I thought I'd try to bring it a bit closer to home so you can track better with the debate and form your own opinion. Here are some of the most commonly cited pros and cons to AI:

So are you more of a Muskie or a Zuckerberger?

Better decide which side you lean towards. Before the machines decide for you.

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Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg Exchange Heated Words Over AI. Whose Side Are You On? - Inc.com