The topic of artificial intelligence is one that inspires both awe and fear. According to theoretical physicist Steven Hawking, “the development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race. It would take off on its own, and re-design itself at an ever increasing rate. Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn’t compete and would be superseded.” This grim outlook on artificial intelligence just became even more relevant. A study executed by Facebook discovered that two of their artificial intelligence robots had developed their own language to communicate. Facebook promptly ended the study, however, as the objective of the experiment was not met. Though some suggest the true motive was out of fear of the Artificial Intelligence growing more advanced.

          The evolved language the robots created occurred after Facebook was conducting an experiment wherein the AI were instructed to trade, barter, and bargain with one and other. However, while the exchanges initially began in English, soon the AI were speaking to each other in a s “shorthand” they had developed.

          The transcript of the conversation goes as follows:

          Bob: I can I I everything else…

          Alice: balls have zero to me to me to me to me to me to me to me to me…

          Bob: you I everything else…

          Alice: balls have a ball to me to me to me to me to me to me to me to me…

          Etc.

          The exchange between Bob and Alice definitely appears strange, though experts found that there is in fact a pattern to their language. The artificial intelligence chatbots place a strong emphasis on their own names, something that initially appears to be a glitch, but is in fact a crucial component to their derived language.

          This isn’t the first time artificial intelligence has developed its own language either. In 2017, Google found that the artificial intelligence used in their google translate program had developed its own language. The bot would translate things into and out of the language it created as it processed inputs from users. Google allowed the development to continue rather than cancelling it as Facebook has done.

          While it is initially an alarming occurrence to learn that artificial intelligence has created its own language, it is ultimately not something to be excessively concerned about. Hopefully we are a long way away from the abysmal future that Steven Hawking has predicted.