What is AI, how do apps like ChatGPT work and why are there concerns? - BBC

What is AI, how does it work and why are some people concerned about it?

AI has increasingly become part of everyday life over the past decade.

The technology takes many forms - from personalising social media feeds to spotting friends in smartphone photos - and accelerating medical breakthroughs.

But the rise of chatbots like OpenAI's ChatGPT has prompted concern about the tech's environmental impact, ethical implications and data use.

Recent claims that AI could become too powerful and threaten humanity have also triggered calls for slower development and tighter regulation.

What is AI and what is it used for?

AI allows computers to process large amounts of data, identify patterns and follow detailed instructions about what to do with that information.

Computers cannot think, empathise or reason.

However, scientists have developed systems that can perform tasks which usually require human intelligence, trying to replicate how people acquire and use knowledge.

This could be trying to anticipate what product an online shopper might buy, based on previous purchases, in order to recommend items.

The technology is also behind voice-controlled virtual assistants like Apple's Siri and Amazon's Alexa, and is being used to develop systems for self-driving cars.

AI also helps social platforms like Facebook, TikTok and X decide what posts to show users. Streaming services Spotify and Deezer use AI to suggest music.

What is generative AI, and how do apps like ChatGPT and Meta AI work?

Generative AI is used to create new content which can seem like it has been made by a human.

It does this by learning from vast quantities of existing data such as online text and images.

Google's Gemini or Meta AI can similarly hold text conversations with users.

Apps like Midjourney or Veo 3 are dedicated to creating images or video from simple text prompts.

Generative AI can also be used to make high-quality music.

Why is AI controversial?

While acknowledging AI's potential, some experts are worried about the implications of its rapid growth.

Prof Geoffrey Hinton, a computer scientist regarded as a "godfather" of AI development, warned powerful AI systems could even make humans extinct - although his fear was dismissed by his fellow "AI godfather", Yann LeCun.

This is because public data used to train many AI systems can reflect existing societal biases such as sexism or racism.

And while AI tools are growing more adept, they are still prone to errors.

Generative AI systems are known for their ability to "hallucinate" and assert falsehoods as fact, even sometimes invent sources for inaccurate information.

Many have issued statements or signed open letters accusing AI developers of using their work to train systems without consent or compensation.

Thousands of creators - including Abba singer-songwriter Björn Ulvaeus, writers Ian Rankin and Joanne Harris, and actress Julianne Moore - signed a statement in October 2024 calling AI a "major, unjust threat" to their livelihoods.

How does AI effect the environment?

Creating the powerful computer chips needed to run AI programmes requires lots of power and water.

Demand for generative AI services has also meant an increase in the number of data centres which power them.

Some large tech companies have invested in ways to reduce or reuse the water needed, or have opted for alternative methods such as air-cooling.

However, some experts and activists fear that AI will worsen water supply problems.

In September 2024, Google said it would reconsider proposals for a data centre in Chile, which has struggled with drought.

Are there laws governing AI?

Some governments have already introduced rules governing how AI operates.

Many countries, including the UK, have sought to regulate AI through existing laws rather than legislate - amid concern it could quickly date as AI develops.