Social implications of intelligent machines

The much-discussed issues of privacy, unemployment, leisure, centralization of political power, and military misuse of technology are raised by work in artificial intelligence no less than by applications exploiting the `brute force¿ of computers. But this paper focuses specifically on matters associated with the social use of intelligent machines in particular. Some current and predicted developments in machine intelligence are described and possible ill and good effects these may have on society outlined. Precautionary measures that might be taken in the writing and presentation of programs to forestall the social dangers implicit in this area of research are examined.