Do we really need artificial intelligence?

I'm sure people asked the same question about computers, the internet, and smart phones. Admittedly, all three of these things have made life easier in some ways. We can find information much quicker and, by owning a smart phone, we don't even have to wait until we can access a home computer because we carry it around with us. However, everyone knows these things aren't always perfect. Is the information on the internet up to date and reliable? Is it based on facts or just someone's opinion or goes along with the ideology they're trying to convince everyone is the way to do things? No matter how nice it is to have these things, there are problems. Cell phones and computers only work if they get power from the electrical grid because batteries run down. Storms not only cause power outages, they also may cause interruptions in cell service. And no matter how much easier they make our lives, there are always people out there making things worse. Hackers, scammers, etc are always finding ways to disrupt things. It seems that no matter how good the anti-virus programs are or protection against hackers get, there's always someone who can find ways around those things.

What applies to these three things we can't seem to live without also applies to artificial intelligence (AI). Some day in the future, we'll probably be asking ourselves how we lived without AI. I don't think we've gotten anywhere close to saying that - at least I haven't. Maybe it's because I'm from an older generation, but I can just see all the problems we can run into by depending on a computer to do the things we can otherwise do by ourselves. Even now, it's getting to the point where some people can't seem to function or their lives are turned upside down if one of their AI controlled devices don't work. Think about it. Someone complains about how their robot vacuum isn't working so they need to get a new one quickly because their floors are a mess. If you ask them why they don't just use a broom until they get a new vacuum, they respond with "Oh, I never thought of that". Or worse, they don't even own a broom. Okay, that's a silly example, but I think you probably get my point.

I looked up - yes, on that wonderful internet - different types of things that operate using AI. Some of the things surprised me because I didn't even know they existed. See, you can use the internet for more things than just reading through Facebook for hours. Call me a Luddite (you can Google that) or describe me simply as being afraid of new technology because as I read through the list, all I could ask myself was "Why do I need that?" My next thoughts were about how things could go wrong when the AI either makes a mistake or stops working the correct way. The list below will demonstrate what I mean.

Home robots: Use them to entertain your children and to patrol your house. It's better for kids to interact with other kids, not a robot. Nothing is mentioned about how these robots patrol, what they look for, or how they react to a bad situation. What will the robot do if it's programmed to stop an intruder and mistakes your child as an intruder?
Security cameras: This is referring to cameras that not only show you who is where on your property, but also use facial recognition to identify the person who is there. This is great if your house gets robbed, yet it's hypocritical because most people don't want other security cameras to be able to recognize them because they're afraid of how that identification will be used.
AI television: Used to do everything through voice command that was once done by a remote control. This may prevent not being able to use the television if someone loses the remote, but I do have to ask if we've become so reliant on technology that we don't even want to push a couple of buttons?
Smart home devices: Can be used to do everything from automatically turn on or off lights, regulate the thermostat, and control the radio by voice command only. Again, are we so lazy we can't get up and flip a switch?
Smart locks: Locks or unlocks doors by using a smart phone. They say this is more secure because no one can copy the key and get into your house. You'll also never have to worry about losing or forgetting your key. All these are true. Yet you won't be able to get into your house if you lose, forget, or break your your phone. There's also the fact these can be hacked by computer savvy thieves.
AI cooking: These are AI controlled appliances that can be set on a timer and are able to mix up ingredients so your meal is ready to put in the oven when you get home from work. I can see it now. Have one of these that can cut vegetables and mix them together so you can eat a salad as soon as you get home from work. Imagine what your kitchen may look like if the thing experiences a glitch and tosses everything all over the floor.

That's just a few uses of AI for use in the home. I think what really worries me more are AI vehicles. It's bad enough as it is with things such parking assist, lane warnings, and all those cameras. Sure, these things may be great if everything is working perfectly; however, as with anything computerized, things stop working or a small glitch can cause a huge problem. So many people now rely too much on these things. They don't pay as much attention to the road because they'll get a warning if their car drifts toward the other lane or the car will automatically break if they don't see the car right in front of them. They may not even realize those features stopped working until they're involved in a wreck. With fully AI cars, someone should still be behind the wheel and actually know how to drive in case the AI stops working. I won't apologize for wanting full control over my car even if the experts claim fewer accidents occur when AI is involved. I'll admit that may be true, but only until the AI "goes crazy" because of a glitch or a broken wire somewhere in the system.

That's my opinion about the current state of AI when it comes to things we can actually use our own brains and a little physical effort to accomplish. I may change my mind as the technology gets better and more reliable. Or maybe not. I'd enjoy hearing other people's opinions.