The improvement in and hype surrounding AI systems has begun to lead to a panic of sorts. Though not unexpected in a era of crisis (the panic I mean), AI is seen as a potential destroyer of the human race.

It is not hard to see how this could come about. Put AI super brains to work on some of the problems that the world faces, ostensibly to find solutions, and you might get in trouble. It's that pesky little law of unintended consequences.

For example, the question, 'How can we bring climate change under control?' could go either way. On the one hand, AI might come up with some brilliant ways of mitigating climate change, or, considering the question from other angles, might conclude that since humans are responsible for what's happening, they need to be eradicated.

Building in safeguards such a prime directives and ways of 'turning off' the AI system may be possible. Then again, a super intelligence is likely to have taken those things into consideration, and headed them off in ways that we can only imagine.