Stephen Hawking warned that the rise of powerful AI could be the best or worst thing to happen to humanity, and we don't know which. AI's potential is already empowering us in areas such as creativity, problem-solving, and data analysis, with significant breakthroughs like SETI's discovery of 12 new signals. AI is also being used for counseling teenagers with measurable results. However, there is a dark side to AI. While it has enormous potential to improve our lives, it could also pose a significant threat. Ensuring AI development is guided by ethics and our values is critical to safeguarding a positive future for humanity.