Artificial Intelligence has been a fringe area of research for decades, but you know it’s become mainstream when politicians start talking about it.
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi today announced that he was headed to the United States where he would meet the pioneers of research on Artificial Intelligence. PTI sources said following India’s success in Software development, Gandhi wanted the country to become an AI powerhouse. Gandhi apparently wanted to bring back knowledge and implement it at the policy level in the Congress party’s vision documents. He was also going to deliver a speech on the subject while at Silicon Valley.
It sounded like a harmless enough plan, but Twitter was having none of it. Gandhi, through his long political career, hasn’t exactly made a name for himself for his intellectual prowess, and Twitter was soon mocking his scientific pursuits.
Some wondered how Elon Musk would feel about the situation, given how just yesterday he’d predicted that AI was the greatest threat facing humanity, and could lead to World War 3.
Elon Musk: Artificial intelligence is a threat to humanity
*Rahul Gandhi speaks on AI*
Elon: I was wrong…this man is the greatest threat
— InGenious (@Bees_Kut) September 4, 2017
Memes featuring Musk soon started coming thick and fast.
Reactions reported when they heard that Rahul Gandhi is addressing gathering on Artificial Intelligence : pic.twitter.com/MYJRe1rKpw
— Beanology (@followTheGupta) September 4, 2017
Reaction of Elon Musk when told Rahul Gandhi will be addressing Americans on Artificial Intelligence… pic.twitter.com/ydk9qBKhB5
— The-Lying-Lama (@KyaUkhaadLega) September 4, 2017
Then people started getting really creative.
Mahatma Gandhi ji ne kaha tha, "An AI for an AI will make the whole world blind"
– Rahul Gandhi in his speech on Artificial Intelligence
— Punk (@punk_hardik) September 4, 2017
People also began talking about how robots would feel about the situation.
When Robot heard Rahul Gandhi is coming to address on Artificial Intelligence ? pic.twitter.com/4aCZDzwsVT
— Vishal Surywanshi (@vsurywanshi87) September 5, 2017
Rahul Gandhi – am here
Artificial Intelligence – *Self Destruction Mode ACTIVATED* pic.twitter.com/yUImnVBrqy
— Hardik (@Humor_Silly) September 4, 2017
People began wondering how he’d prepare for his Silicon Valley speech.
Prepration done by Rahul Gandhi to address a gathering on the topic "Artificial intelligence". pic.twitter.com/0wOSgctA9B
— IBN battuta (@theesmaarkhan) September 4, 2017
And some old memes also made an appearance.
This man will help Rahul Gandhi for his talk on Artificial Intelligence ?pic.twitter.com/lOJAM1K2Tc
— Dr. Gill (@ikpsgill1) September 4, 2017
Some felt the entire episode was a misunderstanding.
https://t.co/6zCJG9Uiz6 Someone just please tell him this AI is not Air India.
— Arnab Ray (@greatbong) September 4, 2017
And finally, some had messages for America’s scientific community.
Dear AI community, a retard named Rahul Gandhi is coming to Usa to talk about AI.. may god bless you all @elonmusk
— Dhaakad Tau ?? (@dhaakadtau) September 4, 2017
Gandhi’s speech is scheduled for 11th September, and given the build-up, promises to be quite a spectacle.