Level 6 Unit 3 Part 2 Reading The Challenge of AI

The Internet and smartphones have changed the world and how we relate to each other. 

relate to

英 [riˈleit tu:]  美 [rɪˈlet tu] 

涉及;同…有…关系;与…协调;将…与…联系起来

Instead of meeting in person, we increasingly interface through handheld devices.

interface

英 [ˈɪntəfeɪs]  美 [ˈɪntərfeɪs] 

n.界面;<计>接口;交界面

v.（使通过界面或接口）接合，连接;[计算机]使联系

vi.相互作用（或影响）;交流，交谈

In a sense, real people are being removed, replaced by technology and virtual friends. 

从某种意义上说，真实的人正在被技术和虚拟朋友所取代。

Some people even say that they prefer to confide in their virtual friends rather than their real friends!

有些人甚至说他们更喜欢向虚拟朋友倾诉，而不是向真正的朋友倾诉！

confide

英 [kənˈfaɪd]  美 [kənˈfaɪd] 

vt.吐露（秘密、心事等）;委托，托付

vi.吐露秘密;信任，信赖

confide in sb

向（认为可信赖的人）透露秘密（或个人隐私） 

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AI, or artificial intelligence, is another technology that is highly disruptive. 

人工智能是另一种具有高度破坏性的技术。

artificial

英 [ˌɑ:tɪˈfɪʃl]  美 [ˌɑ:rtɪˈfɪʃl] 

adj.人工的;人造的;人为的;虚假的，非原产地的

n.人造肥料;<美>假花

disruptive

英 [dɪsˈrʌptɪv]  美 [dɪsˈrʌptɪv] 

adj.破坏的;分裂性的;扰乱的

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With AI, smartphone and other devices will have even more capabilities. 

有了人工智能，智能手机和其他设备将拥有更多的功能。

They will be able to converse with us and tell us jokes. They may even become personal tutors, and replace our online human tutors. 

tutor

英 [ˈtju:tə(r)]  美 [ˈtu:tə(r)] 

n.导师;家庭教师;（大专院校的）助教;课本

vt.& vi.当家庭教师;任大学导师;任课

They will be able to do this because they will have access to our life histories. They will know what kind of problems we have, our preferences, and any content we want to learn or practice, they will be able to adapt to our needs and be available at any time. And all this will be at less cost than using a human.

content

英 ['kɒntent]  美 [ˈkɑ:ntent] 

n.内容;满足;（书等的）目录;容量

adj.满足的，满意的;愿意的;心甘情愿的

vt.使满足，使满意

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In fact, the substitution of AIs for human labor has the potential to transform our world. 

事实上，人工智能取代人类劳动力有潜力改变我们的世界。

substitution

英 [ˌsʌbstɪ'tju:ʃn]  美 [ˌsʌbstɪˈtuʃən, -ˈtju-] 

n.替换;代替;代用;<化>取代（作用）

Experts warn that smart machines may cause widespread unemployment. 

Many workers will become redundant, replaced by machines that can perform cognitive tasks better than people. 

许多工人将变得多余，取而代之的是能比人更好地执行认知任务的机器。

redundant

英 [rɪˈdʌndənt]  美 [rɪˈdʌndənt] 

adj.多余的，累赘的;（因人员过剩）被解雇的，失业的;

cognitive

英 [ˈkɒgnətɪv]  美 [ˈkɑ:gnətɪv] 

adj.认知的;认识的

An even greater danger is that they will develop personalities and become more interesting than people. 

更大的危险是，他们会发展个性，变得比人们更有趣。

Work is already underway to produce AI companions for lonely people.

为孤独的人培养人工智能伙伴的工作已经在进行中

underway

英 [ˌʌndəˈweɪ]  美 [ˌʌndərˈweɪ] 

adj.起步的;在进行中的;[航]在航行中的

adv.进行中

n.在航;水底通道

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Are these development something to worry about or something to welcome?

 How are they different than developments in the past, such as the industrial revolution?

 Cars replaced horses; machines and industrial robots replaced factory workers.

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Since the shift to AI is inevitable, the challenge for policy makers will be to help existing workers acquire new skills.

由于向人工智能的转变是不可避免的，政策制定者面临的挑战将是帮助现有工人获得新的技能。

inevitable

英 [ɪnˈevɪtəbl]  美 [ɪnˈɛvɪtəbəl] 

adj.不可避免的;必然发生的;<非正>总会发生的;必然发生的事

 Future generations must be prepared for a workplace populated by AIs that will continue to develop and take on new tasks. 

下一代必须为一个由人工智能填充的工作场所做好准备，该工作场所将继续发展并承担新的任务。

populate

英 [ˈpɒpjuleɪt]  美 [ˈpɑ:pjuleɪt] 

vt.居住于;生活于;移民于;落户于

Are we up to the task?

我们能完成任务吗？

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