Artificial intelligence: the societal responsibility to inform, educate, and regulate

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a rapidly growing field; one that is mysterious to the general public. The mention of the word AI fills the imaginations of many with thoughts of talking robots, jobs being replaced, and possibly even the destruction of mankind. Perhaps imaginations are running wild due to, perhaps driven by the loose definition of AI as systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence that allows Hollywood to take some creative license. The experts in the field tend to work directly with AI and often for large companies, allowing for the imagination and news headlines to be where the public gets their information. Many wonder if this new technology is going to be an overall benefit to society or if it will bring unmitigated disaster. When the imagination runs wild, instead of understanding, news stories can perpetuate concerns and anxieties rather than hope and optimism.