This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of artificual intelligence and whether or not it is a positive development that computers will be smarter than humans someday.

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay: Artificial Intelligence

Some scientists believe that in the future computers will be more intelligent than human beings. While some see this as a positive development others worry about the negative consequences.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Real Past IELTS Exam

Many today are worried about the potential drawbacks of artificial intelligence. In my opinion, these concerns are legitimate but on the whole A.I. will allow for new heights to human endeavour.

The chief associated worries concern its misuse by humans initially and machines later. The former is already coming to pass as automation has phased out many traditional jobs. As artificial intelligence becomes more sophisticated, the positions in jeopardy will transition from low-skilled factory staff to data analysts and other white-collar workers. The fear is that companies will be motivated solely by their bottom line, lay off many employees and trigger mass social unrest. Some also believe A.I. portends darker scenarios akin to the apocalyptic dystopias of films like The Matrix and Terminator. This is a possibility though it is impossible to estimate its likelihood.

The speculations above should be taken seriously but they pale in comparison to the technologies A.I. can complement. Companies ranging from Google to Amazon to Tesla are investing heavily in this industry because of its enormous potential. For example, self-driving cars are fast becoming a reality and will reduce the number of vehicular accidents massively. Policymakers in government will be able to take advantage of sophisticated algorithms to project economic policy and positively enhance the lives of billions. In the consumer sphere, smartphones will become increasingly helpful, freeing up individuals to focus their time on work, family, and leisure. This is only a partial list and the most intriguing and impactful applications have yet to be unearthed.

In conclusion, artificial intelligence poses risks to the labour market and the future of humanity, but the opportunities for new projects should take priority. It is important to find a balance and methods of mitigating the dangers.

Analysis

1. Many today are worried about the potential drawbacks of artificial intelligence. 2. In my opinion, these concerns are legitimate but on the whole A.I. will allow for new heights to human endeavour.

Paraphrase the overall topic for the essay.
Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.

1. The chief associated worries concern its misuse by humans initially and machines later. 2. The former is already coming to pass as automation has phased out many traditional jobs. 3. As artificial intelligence becomes more sophisticated, the positions in jeopardy will transition from low-skilled factory staff to data analysts and other white-collar workers. 4. The fear is that companies will be motivated solely by their bottom line, lay off many employees and trigger mass social unrest. 5. Some also believe A.I. portends darker scenarios akin to the apocalyptic dystopias of films like The Matrix and Terminator. 6. This is a possibility though it is impossible to estimate its likelihood.

Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
Explain your main idea.
Use specific examples.
Continue to develop your main idea.
Don’t switch to a new idea.
Conclude by generalising.

1. The speculations above should be taken seriously but they pale in comparison to the technologies A.I. can complement. 2. Companies ranging from Google to Amazon to Tesla are investing heavily in this industry because of its enormous potential. 3. For example, self-driving cars are fast becoming a reality and will reduce the number of vehicular accidents massively. 4. Policymakers in government will be able to take advantage of sophisticated algorithms to project economic policy and positively enhance the lives of billions. 5. In the consumer sphere, smartphones will become increasingly helpful, freeing up individuals to focus their time on work, family, and leisure. 6. This is only a partial list and the most intriguing and impactful applications have yet to be unearthed.

Write another clear topic sentence with the main idea that agree with.
Use real companies/people to write very specific examples.
Begin a specific example.
You can write about related examples instead of developing one example.
Here I switch to a third example.
Conclude with a strong statement.

1. In conclusion, artificial intelligence poses risks to the labour market and the future of humanity, but the opportunities for new projects should take priority. 2. It is important to find a balance and methods of mitigating the dangers.

Summarise your main ideas and repeat your opinion.
Add a final thought/detail.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean?

Many today are worried about the potential drawbacks of artificial intelligence. In my opinion, these concerns are legitimate but on the whole A.I. will allow for new heights to human endeavour.

The chief associated worries concern its misuse by humans initially and machines later. The former is already coming to pass as automation has phased out many traditional jobs. As artificial intelligence becomes more sophisticated, the positions in jeopardy will transition from low-skilled factory staff to data analysts and other white-collar workers. The fear is that companies will be motivated solely by their bottom line, lay off many employees and trigger mass social unrest. Some also believe A.I. portends darker scenarios akin to the apocalyptic dystopias of films like The Matrix and Terminator. This is a possibility though it is impossible to estimate its likelihood.

The speculations above should be taken seriously but they pale in comparison to the technologies A.I. can complement. Companies ranging from Google to Amazon to Tesla are investing heavily in this industry because of its enormous potential. For example, self-driving cars are fast becoming a reality and will reduce the number of vehicular accidents massively. Policymakers in government will be able to take advantage of sophisticated algorithms to project economic policy and positively enhance the lives of billions. In the consumer sphere, smartphones will become increasingly helpful, freeing up individuals to focus their time on work, family, and leisure. This is only a partial list and the most intriguing and impactful applications have yet to be unearthed.

In conclusion, artificial intelligence poses risks to the labour market and the future of humanity, but the opportunities for new projects should take priority. It is important to find a balance and methods of mitigating the dangers.

Answers

worried about concerned

potential drawbacks possible negatives

artificial intelligence really smart computers/robots

concerns worries

legitimate justified

on the whole overall

new heights greatest achievements

human endeavour what man has accomplished

chief associated worries concern main issues relate to

misuse abuse

initially in the beginning

coming to pass happening now

automation robotic

phased out disappeared

traditional jobs factory workers, old types of labour

sophisticated complex

positions in jeopardy jobs in danger

transition change from

low-skilled factory staff people working in factories, manual labour

data analysts people who look closely at numbers, data

white-collar workers office workers, managers, etc.

motivated solely mainly interested in

bottom line profits

lay off fire

trigger mass social unrest cause unhappiness

portends darker scenarios akin to can foresee bad outcomes similar to

apocalyptic dystopias nightmarish futures

possibility chance

estimate guess

likelihood chance of happening

speculations guesses

taken seriously treated with respect

pale in comparison to much weaker than

complement supplement

ranging from including

investing heavily putting a lot of money into

enormous potential a lot of possibility

self-driving cars automated automobiles

fast becoming a reality quickly becoming true

vehicular accidents massively car crashes a lot

policymakers law-makers, politicians

take advantage of sophisticated algorithms exploit computer programs

project economic policy predict how to manage the economy

positively enhance have a good impact on

consumer sphere what people buy

increasingly helpful more and more positive

freeing up allowing for

focus their time have more time for

leisure free time

partial list not complete

most intriguing most interesting

impactful applications used to the most effect

unearthed uncovered

poses risks has dangers

labour market workers

take priority more important

balance keep things equal

methods means

mitigating lessening the impact of

dangers risks

Pronunciation

ˈwʌrid əˈbaʊt
pəʊˈtɛnʃəl ˈdrɔːbæks
ˌɑːtɪˈfɪʃ(ə)l ɪnˈtɛlɪʤəns
kənˈsɜːnz
lɪˈʤɪtɪmɪt
ɒn ðə həʊl
njuː haɪts
ˈhjuːmən ɪnˈdɛvə
ʧiːf əˈsəʊʃɪeɪtɪd ˈwʌriz kənˈsɜːn
ˌmɪsˈjuːs
ɪˈnɪʃəli
ˈkʌmɪŋ tuː pɑːs
ˌɔːtəˈmeɪʃ(ə)n
feɪzd aʊt
trəˈdɪʃənl ʤɒbz
səˈfɪstɪkeɪtɪd
pəˈzɪʃənz ɪn ˈʤɛpədi
trænˈsɪʒən
ləʊ-skɪld ˈfæktəri stɑːf
ˈdeɪtə ˈænəlɪsts
ˈwaɪtˈkɒlə ˈwɜːkəz
ˈməʊtɪveɪtɪd ˈsəʊlli
ˈbɒtəm laɪn
leɪ ɒf
ˈtrɪgə mæs ˈsəʊʃəl ʌnˈrɛst
pɔːˈtɛndz ˈdɑːkə sɪˈnɑːrɪəʊz əˈkɪn tuː
əˈpɒkəlɪptɪk ˈdɪstəʊiːə
ˌpɒsəˈbɪlɪti
ˈɛstɪmɪt ˈlaɪklɪhʊd
ˌspɛkjʊˈleɪʃənz
ˈteɪkən ˈsɪərɪəsli
peɪl ɪn kəmˈpærɪsn tuː
ˈkɒmplɪmənt
ˈreɪnʤɪŋ frɒm
ɪnˈvɛstɪŋ ˈhɛvɪli
ɪˈnɔːməs pəʊˈtɛnʃəl
sɛlf-ˈdraɪvɪŋ kɑːz
fɑːst bɪˈkʌmɪŋ ə ri(ː)ˈælɪti
vɪˈhɪkjʊlər ˈæksɪdənts ˈmæsɪvli
ˈpɒlɪsiˈmeɪkəz
teɪk ədˈvɑːntɪʤ ɒv səˈfɪstɪkeɪtɪd ˈælgərɪðmz
ˈprɒʤɛkt ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ˈpɒlɪsi
ˈpɒzətɪvli ɪnˈhɑːns
kənˈsjuːmə sfɪə
ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli ˈhɛlpfʊl
ˈfriːɪŋ ʌp
ˈfəʊkəs ðeə taɪm
ˈlɛʒə
ˈpɑːʃəl lɪst
məʊst ɪnˈtriːgɪŋ
ˈɪmpæktf(ə)l ˌæplɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)nz
ʌnˈɜːθt
ˈpəʊzɪz rɪsks
ˈleɪbə ˈmɑːkɪt
teɪk praɪˈɒrɪti
ˈbæləns
ˈmɛθədz
ˈmɪtɪgeɪtɪŋ
ˈdeɪnʤəz

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

Many today are w______________t the p_________________s of a______________________e. In my opinion, these c____________s are l______________e but o______________e A.I. will allow for n____________s to h______________________r.

The c____________________________________n its m___________e by humans i_____________y and machines later. The former is already c_______________s as a________________n has p______________t many t_____________________s. As artificial intelligence becomes more s______________d, the p______________________y will t_______________n from l__________________________f to d_________________s and other w_____________________s. The fear is that companies will be m____________________y by their b________________e, l_____________f many employees and t_____________________________t. Some also believe A.I. p__________________________________o the a________________________s of films like The Matrix and Terminator. This is a p________________y though it is impossible to e________________e its l_________________d.

The s__________________s above should be t__________________y but they p__________________________o the technologies A.I. can c____________________t. Companies r____________________m Google to Amazon to Tesla are i________________________y in this industry because of its e_______________________l. For example, s___________________s are f_______________________y and will reduce the number of v_____________________________y. P____________________s in government will be able to t__________________________________________s to p___________________________y and p_____________________e the lives of billions. In the c______________________e, smartphones will become i________________________l, f_______________p individuals to f____________________e on work, family, and l____________e. This is only a p________________t and the m__________________g and i________________________s have yet to be u______________d.

In conclusion, artificial intelligence p_____________s to the l__________________t and the future of humanity, but the opportunities for new projects should t_________________y. It is important to find a b_____________e and m____________s of m____________g the d___________s.

Listening Practice

How far is too far?

Reading Practice

Stay updated on the latest news about Artifical Intelligence from Wired here:

https://www.wired.com/category/business/artificial-intelligence/

Speaking Practice

Answer the following questions from the real speaking exam:

Intelligence

Do people with high IQs tend to be selfish?

Can computers improve your intelligence?

What is the difference between intelligence and knowledge?

How much can intelligence change during a lifetime and how much of it is fixed?

Has technology made people less intelligent?
Real IELTS Speaking Exam

Writing Practice

Write about the following related topic then check with my sample answer:

Nowadays more tasks at home and work are being performed by robots.

Is this a negative or positive development?
Real Past IELTS Writing Exam

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay: Robots at Home (Real Past IELTS Tests/Exams)