“In the end, the human brain is just a big statistical processor with sensors and actuators. It is kind of naive to think it can’t be replicated or improved upon.”
Preface - That’s not at all what I said.
But, now that you bring it up, I don’t think computers will ever attain parity with the human brain. Same reason I don’t think there will ever be a truly autonomous car. We make hundreds of decisions every day, based on judgment, context, situation, etc - and we do it lightening fast. Having a database of what different cities look like is one thing...but trying to negotiate a construction zone with gesticulating flagmen giving contradictory instructions is another.
Naïve? Time will tell.
They don’t have to do it perfectly (as nothing is ever perfect), just safer than humans. Again, the technology will just get better, so in 10 years they will be much safer than humans. AI software is advancing in leaps and bounds now. Frankly, 10 years ago I never thought we’d get to where we are now in my lifetime.
If a machine or program can do something better or cheaper than a human, then it is inevitable that it will be deployed instead of a human. That is where the job losses will come from. We will increasingly strain to find things that humans can do better.