WVXU: AI continues to advance but at what cost?

WVXU's Cincinnati Edition turned to a University of Cincinnati aquatic toxicologist to learn more about ways we can mitigate the risks of adopting new technology such as artificial intelligence into everyday life.

UC College of Arts and Sciences Assistant Professor Latonya Jackson said artificial intelligence is becoming more ubiquitous in research projects, such as water monitoring and measuring concentrations of contaminants.

She studies the long-term effects of toxins on fish in her biology lab.

Tech leaders such as former Google tech innovator Geoffrey Hinton are sounding an alarm about the risks posed by artificial intelligence.

But Jackson said there are benefits, too, particularly in long-term pollution monitoring.

"AI can be helpful not just for my research but in scientific research in general," Jackson said. "We can see if ice sheets are melting and at what rates. It helps identify concentrations of contaminants in water. It helps me to put all the data I generate into one place to do models and see how contaminants flow, how fast they go and what happens when there's rain."

Jackson was joined on the panel by Dave Hatter, a security consultant with intrustIT. 

Listen to the Cincinnati Edition episode.