A Survey of the Potential Long-term Impacts of AI

TL;DR

This survey explores potential long-term societal impacts of AI, including changes in science, cooperation, power, epistemics, and values, emphasizing the need for further research to understand these effects.

Contribution

It systematically reviews existing literature on AI's long-term societal impacts and identifies key areas and questions for future research.

Findings

AI could significantly alter scientific progress and collaboration.

Long-term impacts may shift societal power dynamics.

Research in these areas is still emerging and requires prioritization.

Abstract

It is increasingly recognised that advances in artificial intelligence could have large and long-lasting impacts on society. However, what form those impacts will take, just how large and long-lasting they will be, and whether they will ultimately be positive or negative for humanity, is far from clear. Based on surveying literature on the societal impacts of AI, we identify and discuss five potential long-term impacts of AI: how AI could lead to long-term changes in science, cooperation, power, epistemics, and values. We review the state of existing research in each of these areas and highlight priority questions for future research.