The fifth lecture on artificial intelligence, organized collaboratively by the Matica Srpska, the Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Serbia, and the "Petar Mandic" Endowment, took place on November 16, 2023.

Fifth Session of the Artificial Intelligence Dialogue

The speakers for the fifth chapter of the dialogue were Dr. Ivana Krtolica, representing the Institute, and Prof. Dr. Aleksandar Petrovic, representing the Endowment.

The President of the Managing Board of the "Petar Mandic" Endowment, Mr. Nikola Puric, introduced the lecturers and their topics.

Dr. Ivana Krtolica

"Benefits of Applying Artificial Intelligence Models in the Fields of Ecology and Environmental Engineering"

Dr. Ivana Krtolica, a research associate at the Institute for Artificial Intelligence employed in the Green AI group, emphasized at the beginning of the lecture that humans are the developers, users, and potential abusers of artificial intelligence models, and that all power lies in human hands. Hence, she underscored the importance of legal and ethical regulation in the application of artificial intelligence models, an area still under development in our country, as legal acts related to the application of artificial intelligence have not been fully implemented.

The speaker provided the audience with a detailed understanding of the similarities between natural and artificial neural networks, highlighting their capacity for learning based on experience. She delved into the principles of artificial neural network functionality by simulating the function of the human brain and nervous system.

Dr. Ivana Krtolica pointed out the key difference between natural and artificial intelligence, highlighting the motivation, emotional intelligence, and creativity of natural beings, as well as the functions of the endocrine system, all of which influence human decision-making. In contrast, artificial intelligence draws its conclusions solely from stored data. She also highlighted the advantages of artificial networks over natural neural networks, emphasizing the aging and inability of human neurons to regenerate.

The application benefits of artificial intelligence in ecology and environmental protection engineering were thoroughly explained by Dr. Krtolica. This includes the prediction and prevention of natural disasters, the possibility of modeling climate change, reduction of pollution rates, sustainable agriculture applications, and preservation of biodiversity in animals.

Dr. Krtolica highlighted the significant benefit of using artificial intelligence models in the Common Danube Research project, a project in which she herself participated.

The speaker identified limitations in the use of artificial intelligence models, such as the necessity for training on large datasets, susceptibility to cyber attacks, and unethical applications. She also emphasized areas like medicine and autonomous vehicle management, where imperfect results from artificial intelligence models are absolutely unacceptable.

Dr. Krtolica concluded her presentation by asserting that we must move with the times but not allow humanity to be dehumanized. According to her, social and emotional intelligence will always remain irreplaceable, and humans, as the sole creators of the future, should use artificial intelligence exclusively as a servant for their benefit.

Prof. Dr. Aleksandar Petrovic

"ETH302 - The Secret of Synthetic Intelligence"

Professor Dr. Aleksandar Petrovic commences his presentation by asserting that in recent years, we have been inundated with media coverage on artificial intelligence, which has become an integral part of popular culture, capturing mass imagination as a technological marvel. According to him, people crave miracles, and hence, the media have widely opened the doors of Pandora's box, simultaneously creating excitement and concern with news about artificial intelligence, alongside stories about viruses and climate change.

Professor Dr. Petrovic grounds his lecture on the application of the thesis of the Cartesian object as a counterpart to the subject and the attempt at their practical unity, which is theoretically impossible, in today's role of artificial intelligence in the world. According to him, technological counterparts are beginning slowly and then rapidly taking over consciousness and the world. Everything that emerges is merely a counterpart because Cartesian consciousness can do nothing else but produce duplicates. In the modern world, the production of counterparts is termed technology.

As the speaker emphasizes, according to media illusion, the greatest counterpart of the present is precisely artificial intelligence, creating the impression that science fiction is happening here and now. Guided by the interests of large propaganda agencies, artificial intelligence becomes an angel, while the rest of the world is demonized. Artificial intelligence, through small objects that make our lives easier at the cost of freedom loss, becomes part of popular culture and dictated corporate enthusiasm, prompting humans to enthusiastically contribute to their own overthrow.

Professor Dr. Aleksandar Petrovic provides a highly provocative definition of artificial intelligence. According to him, it is a kind of Netflix, a platform for streaming movies, a programming tool seeking self-improvement with the primary aim of excluding humans from management.

The speaker presents the problem of artificial intelligence through three segments - linguistic and anthropological, anthropological and evolutionary, and ethical. He does not see its goal in improving life but in disseminating lies unlimited by any truth, transitioning from analogue to digital culture, leading to a new level of colonization.

The lecturer supports his presented views with data from a case study, which he named his lecture after, an event from 2019 when Ethiopian Airlines Flight ETH302 with 157 passengers and crew crashed shortly after takeoff due to prioritizing digital technology over the analog nature of things, with artificial intelligence taking precedence over pilot experience.

Professor Dr. Petrovic concludes his presentation by stating that the technological world has put much at stake on the table of artificial intelligence, and it is already at a crossroads, which needs to be covered up in every way. According to his words, it is illusory hope that fundamental problems will be overcome by improving software, not humans, that the solution will come in the mirror, not in humans. What artificial intelligence did to the Ethiopian plane, it will do to everything else due to blind faith in technology, which is becoming a new religion.

Following the lecture, a lively discussion ensued, where attendees could pose questions to the speakers. Mr. Nikola Puric announced the last in the series of lectures on artificial intelligence for Friday, December 22, 2023.