Artificial intelligence, AI, has become one of the defining technologies of what economists and policymakers describe as the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This is an era in which digital, physical, and biological systems are increasingly intertwined. In practical terms, AI refers to computer systems capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as recognising patterns, learning from data, making predictions, and assisting in complex decisions.
Aside from the generative AI and search tools that are at the forefront of the media and economic hyperbole, analytical and related AI systems already underpin smart manufacturing platforms, digital twins for testing and optimising equipment performance, adaptive cybersecurity tools, medical diagnostics, and much more. It is unlikely that within a decade or so many occupations will not have been augmented or displaced by AI tools. The potential for productivity, innovation, and economic growth is great.
As with any new technology, however, there are good reasons to look closely at the social and economic impact AI might have. It would be prudent to put safeguards in place urgently given the way in which technologies have often amplified inequality, weakened democratic norms, and introduced new systemic risks in the past.
Research in the International Journal of Generative Artificial Intelligence has looked closely at many of the issues that are coming to the fore, such as labour disruption, deepfakes, the opacity of advanced AI models, bias, copyright, privacy, and security issues. Then, there is the issue of whether a superintelligent AI might surpass human abilities and redefine our very existence, perhaps even determining, algorithmically or some kind of awareness, that we as a species are redundant, or worse, a problem that needs to be removed.
The researchers suggest that at the geopolitical level, international coordination is a major challenge, not least given the rogue behaviour of some so-called state actors. The trajectory that AI takes in this Fourth Industrial Revolution is not fixed, nor is it predictable. We need to work together to ensure that it works for the benefit of humanity and the planet.
Min, H. (2026) ‘The dark side of artificial intelligence’, Int. J. Generative Artificial Intelligence in Business, Vol. 1, Nos. 1/2, pp.199–209.
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