Artificial Intelligence: Will it rule our world?

Jul. 25—Artificial intelligence may sound scary. Webster defines it as "a branch of computer science dealing with the simulation of intelligent behavior in computers."

But the head of the Electronics Engineering Technology program at Eastern New Mexico University is convinced humans will always remain superiors to computers.

Hamid Allamehzadeh said AI won't replace people, but it can make us more efficient.

"Especially if you collect data," he said. "This is the era of big data.

"You collect millions of pieces of data, there is no way I can or a human being can, sit down and process all of those. He has to go to the computer, and the computer will process these. And if there is AI ... it can process the data, put your expectation in there, and do basically what you're supposed to do with that data."

That means better efficiency, whether it's a school, a farm, or a Main Street business.

But even though AI can help process large amounts of data, Allamehzadeh said, it is still inferior to the human brain. Ultimately, AI is a system that simulates the human brain. Instead of the human's ears, nose, and eyes, the computers have sensors, and based on the information the sensors gather, AI can take action.

And while artificial intelligence may allow less room for error, that doesn't mean there isn't any, Allamehzadeh said.

"They haven't created an AI system that's 100% perfect. But the advantage the AI has is that, first of all, it can process everything fast. Some of the (Central Procession Units) that we have can do, you know, billions of calculations in one second. (Humans) can't do that. So that's one of their advantages. But as far as the logic is concerned, human is still superior," he said.

Allamehzadeh said he doesn't believe AI will ever 100% replace humans.

"Again, the way we think and our brain is set up, we are still different than the robot. We are still superior. So some of the jobs, like factory jobs and others, yes, they will go to them because they can do more precisely and faster. And they don't have to rest.

"But in general, robots or AI still need human beings. (Humans) are the ones who actually make all the advancement and all the changes within the AI," he said.

Allamehzadeh also said he doesn't believe artificial intelligence will become smarter than humans to overtake us.

"The robot's intelligence is based on what the human being actually put into their brain. So it doesn't matter how intelligent they get. We are still the most intelligent ones because we are the ones who designed it," he said.

AI future likely to include regulations

Allamehzadeh said there are movies and shows that depict robots or AI going crazy and turning against humans. Still, AI can only do that if it has been programmed for that behavior, and that is where the responsibility falls onto the programmer or the user to be ethical with the technology. That's why Allamehzadeh believes there need to be regulations and transparency from companies and the government in implementing this technology.

"So they slowly start coming up with some kind of like legislation or something to start to regulate these things, which is a good thing," Allamehzadeh said.

"They have to have some kind of regulation there that the company cannot, for example, design a robot that is destructive and go out there and, you know, do something that it is not supposed to do, and if it does, the company should be liable," he said.

The White House held an event this month with seven leading AI firms, including Amazon.com Inc., Meta Platforms Inc., Microsoft Corp., and Alphabet Inc., that unveiled new voluntary safety protocols to minimize abuse and bias within AI.

Under the agreement, according to Bloomberg News, companies will put new artificial intelligence systems through internal and external testing before their release and ask outside teams to test their systems for security flaws, discriminatory tendencies, or risks to Americans' rights, health information, or safety, the release said.

New Mexico Sen. Ben Ray Lujan is also calling for regulations within AI regarding privacy and consumer protection.

Lujan submitted his ideas to National Telecommunications and Information Administration administrator Alan Davis. The U.S. Senate is considering two bills on AI: one would require the government to be transparent when using AI to interact with people. The other will establish an office to determine if the U.S. remains competitive in the latest technology, according to TV news station KRQE.

Law enforcement looks to future

Locally, agencies including the Clovis Police Department have yet to implement artificial intelligence or the use of items like drones. Deputy Police Chief Trevor Thron said that could soon change.

The Major Crimes Unit, which consists of Clovis PD, the sheriff's department, Portales PD, Roosevelt County sheriff, and the District Attorney's Office, has purchased a drone for policing.

"The DA's office actually purchased the drone, and they're in the process of getting their certificates and stuff in order (for it) to be legal and get their drone program off the ground," Thron said. He said that a Clovis law officer is looking into getting his certification to fly that drone for the major crimes unit.

Some of the ways Clovis PD could utilize a drone include documenting a crime scene, getting aerial photography of outdoor events, and search and rescue.

"A couple of years ago ... we had an elderly gentleman who had dementia, and he wandered off from an apartment complex here. And we found him over by Castle Land, and he unfortunately, he had succumbed to the elements, and he had died out there in a field."

"So the drone would be used for that kind of situation, for search and rescue," Thron said.

Another example of a potential use for a drone: "If we did have somebody that fled from us, and he ended up out in the field or something, you know, the camera for nighttime use that detects body heat, it can be used for a situation like that," Thron said.

Thron said the Federal Aviation Association regulates drone laws, and drone users should pay attention to FAA protocol to ensure they are not breaking any rules.

"Now, here in Clovis, we have Cannon Air Force Base. So there is a no-fly zone that cuts through the middle of Clovis, from my understanding, when it comes to drones. And because it's considered Cannon Air Force Base airspace, there may be a flight ceiling for that as well," Thron said.

Thron said there are some federal regulations against citizens or news media flying a drone over a crime scene, but as a police department, they would not shoot down a drone over a crime scene.

"That would cause a lot of issues if we started shooting up in the air trying to shoot down your drone. But no. I want to say the FAA regulates some of this stuff on the use of drones during emergency situations," Thron said.

According to the FAA's website, as of September 2018, pilots of unmanned aircraft who interfere with fighting wildfires, law enforcement efforts, or other first responders, such as medical flights, now are more likely to face severe civil penalties, even for first-time offenses.

With technology like drones becoming more common, some people view them as a nuisance and an invasion of privacy.

Thron said that while rare, his department has received some calls from citizens regarding drones flying over their property.

"People concerned because, you know, their kids are playing in their backyard, and their neighbor's flying a drone and stuff up in the air, and they don't want their kids being recorded," he said.

Students looking for $80K jobs

Professor Allamehzadeh said that flying a drone over someone's house and collecting private information from that property is wrong, but in some instances, like policing, it can save lives.

On the other side of the AI spectrum are scammers who use artificial intelligence to duplicate voices, making people believe their loved one is in trouble and sending money is the only way to save them from harm.

Thron said police are aware of many scam calls in which people pretend to be police officers asking for bail money to release their relative or friend from jail.

"We've gotten those before, but nothing yet where they've used AI voice-changing software to change their voice," he said.

At ENMU, Allamehzadeh's students study how humans can use AI in the real world to our benefit, such as in renewable energy or factories. The students also design and work on projects like circuit boards, wireless charging technology, and understanding electric vehicles.

"When I came here, there were like 20 to 25 students in the program. Last time I checked, it was like 147 students," Allamehzadeh said.

"So it has actually grown. And the most important part of it is, you know, I understand the parent's concern. When my son graduates from this program, what kind of job he will be able to get. So they want to know, when they finish this degree, they will be able to get the job. And that's what we have been focusing on here. We involve the students in a lot of practical stuff and hands on ... it's a big part of this program," he said.

Allamehzadeh said students who graduate from his program with a bachelor's degree in electronics engineering technology or a bachelor's of applied science can make an average salary of $80,000 annually.

"That's actually the best reward for me to see these kids graduate and go out there and make money and share that with their family," he said.