Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Attack

   I read in the news today that Microsoft is working to make Artificial Intelligence mainstream. So is their competition. Their goal is to integrate AI into all the products they offer from phone apps to factory floors.

photo credit: Theen ... Rusty Grate via photopin (license)

This gave me pause. 

   Because also in the news were stories about our legislators and other key persons who hold important offices in our government. Stories about things they have said, the bills they are trying to push through and the regulations they want to enact or undo.

Potentially we could have factory floors smarter than our lawmakers.

   Maybe that wouldn't be a bad thing. Especially if this AI is programmed to have society's best interest at heart. After all, the appliances they are programming with AI are meant to make our lives easier. Now that I think of it, I just might vote for a smart floor if it ran against some of the politicians we currently have in office. Heck, at this point I might vote for a stupid floor if it ran against some of what I see in our government. Just saying....

   But then, not two articles later, I read about Avast, a leading antivirus firm, warning about cyber attacks on home appliances. Not just computers, but TVs, coffee makers, microwaves and refrigerators. I must say, not having a technologically advanced home apparently comes with some advantages.

I would be particularly worried if I couldn't access my fridge. 

Terrified if there was an attack on my coffee maker.

Of course, if a cyber attack did occur on my coffee maker, there would be a lot of terrified people in this word because I would be without caffeine. Things would get pretty ugly if my coffee were to be held hostage.

Lucky for me (and the rest of the world) there is little to fear about cyber attacks in my home. My appliances are just stupid ones. Except the coffee maker, I would never call it stupid. Even if it doesn't have AI.

However, I am left to wonder, could we already be experiencing AI cyber attacks on a much higher level, say in our government? After all, aren't some of the folks we voted for making some particularly odd choices? Could it be that the politicians of today are are nothing more than robots that have been hacked?

If I wasn't paranoid before, I am now.