Psychology in Artificial Intelligence

Have you ever thought about how cool it might be for something to think like a human, but not actually be alive? Have you ever dreamed of robots, or any sort of sci-fi contraption that may not be living, but performs human actions? The chances are, at some point in your life, you have seen Artificial Intelligence (AI) be used in a way that was both effective and intriguing. Artificial intelligence is an entire branch of computer science that allows “robots” to perform tasks that would normally require a human to complete. But, you may be thinking, how are these artificial devices actually “intelligent?” They do not have living brains, instead, they are programmed through computer science and engineering; but there has to be some sort of operation controlling everything… right? Through the advanced works of many computer scientists and programming professionals worldwide, artificial intelligence has been able to successfully integrate principles of psychology into its processes.

How do AI think? Robots and computer-programmed devices are not able to acquire functioning human minds. Rather, they have to use the knowledge (their code) to think for themselves. The most common form of artificial intelligence self-learning is through the use of data sets, in which data taken in by the robot, through a past procedure or during a similar activity is used to try and predict future outcomes, and so the AI’s “mind” adjusts accordingly (SAS, 2022). This is very similar to what happens in our minds psychologically when we experience any sort of event. If something negative happens as a result of a decision or action, we learn from these faults and assure ourselves that we will never make the same mistakes again. So, in this way, artificial intelligence is actually intelligent. It can learn from its past, and shape itself to be smarter and more efficient in the future (Duggal, 2022).

So why can’t AI perform common, everyday jobs so humans don’t have to? After all, it would appear inevitable that human doctors would be replaced by intelligent machines that don’t make any errors in their craft, and this would seemingly allow for flawless surgeries and diagnosing of diseases. It would appear inevitable that counselors could become robotic and scour the internet for responses to any possible question anyone could have. All of these AI alternatives to regular, human jobs seem like an obvious upgrade, right? Well, not exactly. While AI might be able to do things faster and more flawlessly than humans, the world is a situational place. AI is capable of using past data to learn from itself, but it is not capable of adapting to new situations when they come up and are not at least similar to something that they have seen before (Duggal, 2022). For example, if an AI were to perform an operation on a patient in critical condition, and different patients’ bodies were to respond differently, the robot would not be able to react at all to the different patients. Human jobs are performed by humans because they require practical application of skills, not just some algorithm that completes each action the same exact way every single time. Contrary to all of the benefits of artificial intelligence, its reactivity to unique situations is undoubtedly its biggest drawback.

So what can we take away from this? Artificial intelligence is able to adapt to similar situations overtime, but it cannot react like a human might be able to under pressure or to a sudden change in conditions. However, while their psychology may not work in the same fashion as a human, AI can still be useful to our society, and we can use them to perform tasks that don’t require much practical application of motor skills. In recent years, we have seen examples of AI functioning properly, in video games and in widgets like Siri and Amazon Echo. But, even in these examples, there is not much at stake for the AI if it doesn’t function properly. For example, in a situation such as a medical operation, a faulty or unable to adapt robot would not be ideal in performing the procedure correctly and correctly treating the patient. As a sports referee, yes, the AI could be programmed to keep track of scores, players, and different plays across the game, but if a player were to complain about a certain decision, the AI would not be able to hold the conversation in the same way a human might be able to. Or, as a customer service representative, the AI would be able to provide information for a set number of different inquiries, but would not be able to respond to a unique complaint from a customer, and would fail to function correctly. Overall, the psychology of artificial intelligence simply does not allow for the execution of human tasks.

Bibliography

Duggal, Nikita. “Top Advantages and Disadvantages of Artificial Intelligence [2022 Edition].” Simplilearn.com, Simplilearn, 3 Mar. 2022, https://www.simplilearn.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-artificial-intelligence-article.

“Artificial Intelligence (AI) – What It Is and Why It Matters.” SAS, 2022, https://www.sas.com/en_us/insights/analytics/what-is-artificial-intelligence.html.