The Great Leap Forward
Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the most important advances in innovative technology. The general public’s knowledge of artificial intelligence may be limited to imaginative depictions of it in modern TV and movies, but how much of it is real? Will artificial intelligence fundamentally change our lives? What are its potential benefits and threats to humans? The Great Leap solves all these problems and more.
Filmmakers travel the world to discover the latest research and development projects currently underway in the exciting world of AI. In the San Francisco Bay Area, everyone is talking about artificial intelligence. Amazon Grocery lets you do all your shopping through a mobile app. Restaurants and cafes are using robotics to serve customers. The medical industry has already begun experimenting with the potential of artificial intelligence in interpreting test samples and diagnosing chronic diseases. One day, we’re promised technology will be able to accurately diagnose diseases like Parkinson’s at their earliest stages.
Filmmakers have found similar initiatives in countries like China and Germany, as well as others concerned with public safety, law enforcement and energy conservation.
For many, these innovations are a double-edged sword. Technology needs to closely monitor our daily lives, so convenience comes at the expense of privacy. AI technologies are making many of our most common jobs obsolete, including salespeople, cashiers, and waiters. Furthermore, they are developed by humans and thus tend to solve problems based on human data. What if the technical interpretation process is compromised by flawed data?
Each leap brings with it a unique set of moral and ethical questions. Are we willing to give up our freedom if it allows us to achieve these goals? If our global community is to have a voice, we must confront these issues before we reach the point of no return.
Produced by DW’s documentary series, “The Great Leap Forward” is both a compelling portrait of the technologies shaping our future world and a provocation for thinking about the kind of world we want.
