It's Elon Musk vs Mark Zuckerberg with AI in focus

The Silicon Valley tech leaders usually maintain a decorum and avoid engaging in public debates about controversial topics. But looks like AI might have blown that cover and brought in two chief executives- Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg in the spotlight.

Musk, as we all know has always expressed his skepticism regarding AI and robots quite openly. He believes that AI-powered robots could usher in some form of automated war that will be humanity's doomsday.

In a live video Q&A on Facebook on Monday, Zuckerberg was asked what he thought about Musk's calls for proactive regulation of artificial intelligence and his doomsday philosophy? "People who are naysayers and try to drum up these doomsday scenarios, I just, I don't understand it," Zuckerberg said in the video. "It's really negative and in some ways I actually think it is pretty irresponsible."

"People who are arguing for slowing down the process of building AI, I just find that really questionable. I have a hard time wrapping my head around that," he added.

Musk, not the one to sit down quietly shot back on Twitter:  “I’ve talked to Mark about this,” he wrote. “His understanding of the subject is limited.”

I've talked to Mark about this. His understanding of the subject is limited.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 25, 2017

Musk told a gathering of US governors this month that the potential dangers are not so imaginary, and that they should move to regulate AI. "I keep sounding the alarm bell, but until people see robots going down the street killing people, they don't know how to react, because it seems so ethereal," Musk said.

Honestly, the debate around AI is not as simple as the two legends would like us to believe. Like any technology, AI is a nuanced domain that needs thoughtful perspectives and research and not the public exchange of barbs.