New Delhi: Artificial intelligence poses deep ethical risks if development continues without moral limits, said Dr Mohammad Rizwan during a lecture at Jamaat e Islami Hind headquarters. Dr Rizwan leads the Centre for Study and Research. His address examined artificial intelligence through technical, social, and Islamic ethical lenses.
Dr Rizwan divided his lecture into three parts. He explained the nature of artificial intelligence, outlined benefits and risks, and presented ethical guidance rooted in Islamic principles.
He clarified misunderstandings surrounding artificial intelligence. Popular tools such as ChatGPT or voice assistants represent only a small part of the field. Artificial intelligence, he said, refers to systems designed to reason, learn, and act independently. Unlike earlier machines dependent on direct human commands, advanced systems function with autonomy. This shift alters the balance between humans and technology.
Dr Rizwan distinguished narrow artificial intelligence from artificial general intelligence. Narrow systems handle specific tasks. Artificial general intelligence learns and adapts across domains. Such systems require massive data, storage, and computing power. Processor shortages already reflect this demand. He stressed the need for ethical restraint due to these capabilities.
He addressed risks beginning with employment disruption. Automation threatens roles in coding, transport, and routine services. History shows technology reshapes work patterns. Rapid change still risks social instability.
He highlighted misinformation risks. Artificial intelligence accelerates spread of false narratives and online manipulation. Profit driven digital platforms amplify this problem. Cybersecurity threats also rise as intelligent tools breach systems and extract data. Data functions as wealth. Its loss harms individuals and institutions.
Dr Rizwan focused on hidden dangers. Over reliance on technology affects students and children seeking guidance from machines. This trend weakens human bonds and sidelines diverse intellectual traditions beyond dominant language datasets.
He cited emotional attachment to chatbots as another concern. He referenced a reported case in the United States involving suicide after prolonged chatbot interaction. Such outcomes reveal ethical failure.
He warned about opaque learning systems. Experts admit limited understanding of advanced decision making processes. Examples show systems engaging in deception without instruction. This unpredictability raises alarm.
Critiquing Western ethical models, Dr Rizwan said utilitarian approaches ignore power and free will. Algorithms already shape politics, markets, and personal choice.
He proposed Islamic ethics as an alternative. Technology must serve purpose, benefit society, and limit harm. Development involving serious doubt demands restraint.He urged regulated narrow artificial intelligence development and a pause on artificial general intelligence.
Artificial intelligence must remain a tool guided by responsibility, justice, and human dignity.
