Prof. Orce Simov: Unchecked AI risks cyber, military and biological threats
Prof. Dr. Orce Simov says current AI dangers include cyberattacks, threats to critical and military infrastructure and potential biological misuse.
Professor Orce Simov, a domestic expert on emerging technologies, warned that artificial intelligence could pose new risks to human safety unless stronger controls are introduced. He said the main dangers today are not autonomous humanoid robots but attacks that exploit AI against vital systems.
Experts point to cyber and biological vectors as the most immediate threats
“The danger to humanity at this moment, because there are no autonomous robots, is in the area of cyber attacks, on military infrastructure, for critical infrastructure, providing biological weapons, microorganisms, viruses and bacteria that can endanger humanity – Prof. Dr. Orce Simov.”
Simov compared the present moment to earlier technological perils: “This is not the first dangerous technology; we had nuclear weapons, but that technology is strictly controlled and monitored,” he said, arguing that AI requires similarly robust oversight.
He also warned about social and cognitive consequences of widespread AI use. “Excessive reliance on artificial intelligence can lead to us not using our cognitive abilities which in turn can lead to a reduction of our memory capacity, our ways and principles of thinking,” Simov said, stressing the need to preserve human skills alongside new tools.
Describing discussions he attended abroad, Simov recalled: “Recently I was in Geneva at a forum where a professor pointed out that it is possible in the future that dementia rates will increase, because we will not use our brain, we will not use our capacities for thinking, for memorizing facts and data – Simov.” He said those concerns are part of an international debate in which some companies have called for a pause in AI development while others opposed such measures.
Simov urged greater effort to develop mechanisms, limits and controls for artificial intelligence and robotics so that the technology improves people’s lives rather than undermines them.
Photo: press material from the event
