A critical overview of the “Ancient Artificial Intelligence” science, today’s AI, and its relation to the Pandora’s myth!

The concept of what defines Artificial Intelligence (AI) has changed over time, since the ancient periods. The history of Artificial Intelligence (AI) began in antiquity, with myths, stories and rumors of artificial beings endowed with intelligence or consciousness by master craftsmen. A critical historical overview of ancient Greek Intelligent technologies is provided. With the fast-growing integration of advanced AI methods and powerful AI systems into core social institutions in our everyday lives, we are confronted with an electronic world where digital bots or electronic ‘agents’ are already representing us in our human and social interactions. AI’s technological aptitude for the design and production of intelligent software and artefacts, is in fact the greatest intellectual challenge of our time. A lot of treats and risks emerge with many of the AI technologies and methods. These threats and risks are compared with the myth of Pandora’s box arriving to some interesting conclusions. The possibilities and limitations of designing creative intelligent systems that are shaped by purpose and judgment, transcending instrument reason of the causal model. Given the nature of this AI technological progress is unpredictable, there is a need to undertake proactive policy measures and a regulatory framework to mitigate the threats and risks of current and/or future innovations and breakthroughs.