Brown and White Ventures: AI Today, with Christopher Kanan

Calming people down about AI is one of the things Christopher Kanan must do these days. Especially when it comes to what he describes as "Terminator" stuff; where artificial intelligence overwhelms humankind.

"I have a lot of arguments for that," said Kanan, an associate professor of computer science at the University of Rochester who leads the Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences' AI Initiative. "I’m like 'well at least you know and you won’t be caught completely unaware.'"

Kanan is the guest on the latest episode of Brown and White Ventures podcast. He frequently speaks to companies and business leaders about AI's arrival and shares why there's a first impression it makes, on boat corporate leaders and the workforce.

"Companies want to embrace it as much as they can. AI does not complain. It can work 24 hours a day. It has access to a lot of information. It doesn't necessarily have to do on-the-job training, or it’s not going to need breaks. It’s not going to file a complaint or lawsuit against you," said Kanan, who holds appointments in Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The Goergen Institute for Data Science and AI (GIDS-AI) and The Center for Visual Science.

Kanan believes the individual can respond to AI's arrival best by becoming a proficient applier of the technology.

"Keep in mind, AI does not think when you don't engage it. When it is at rest, it's not thinking. When you're at rest, you're always thinking," Kanan said. "But if you're not using this stuff, you're going to be replaced by someone who is. So, learn how to use it."

Kanan calls AI's existence in day-to-day life now its, where one study found the amount of time to complete a human task is cut in half every eight months, its "Co-Pilot" era.

"It keeps getting better, and better and better at doing things, but we have to check it. Now that may sound depressing to some, but on the other hand, if everything is automated, then there's the hypothetical scenario that we get to a utopia where people only do the work they want to do, and everybody derives benefits from it."