The Computer: Master Or Servant

Computers are taking over many of the tasks of man. In some industries indeed the automation of materials handling is well advanced. Moreover, it is well known that the routine information handling tasks of office workers can be more effectively and efficiently handled by computers and allied devices. Because of the increase in the complexity of the tasks of business and industry this trend is bound to grow and will continue to grow. In addition, computers will be increasingly used for more complex tasks involving decision making. Expert systems are being developed and a variety of artificial intelligence applications, which can be used for higher level tasks, is being investigated. Computers are still at a stage where they are the servant, yet even now it is possible that they could be seen as posing certain threats to mankind. What “dangers” lie ahead, and what is the essential difference between computers and humans?