Final answer:
The correct word to fill in the blank is 'applications', implying self-driving cars are an application of AI. AI influences many industries, from automotive to digital assistance, while also raising ethical and governance concerns regarding cybersecurity, privacy, and the labor market.
Step-by-step explanation:
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming a pivotal area of competition for technology companies, with self-driving cars seen as one of the first practical applications for the technology. When considering the sentence given in the question, the correct word to fill in the blank would be 'applications', which means that 'self-driving cars' are being used as an application of AI technology. AI not only holds the potential to innovate and improve existing industries but also poses significant challenges and raises important ethical questions.
Major industries where AI has made a considerable impact include the creation of autonomous vehicles, virtual assistants, and advanced computation through quantum computing. Users are increasingly aware of the AI presence in daily life through these innovations. Additionally, it's essential to identify leading industries that integrate AI, like the automotive sector with self-driving cars and digital assistance with virtual butlers. As we recognize the influence of AI, we also become cognizant of the ethical spectrum surrounding its governance and use.
Concerns about AI include the threat to cybersecurity, individual privacy and autonomy, misuse of massive data sets, job displacement, and existential risks that can arise from the development of superintelligent machines that may not align with human values and safety. Hence, it is critical to balance the growth of AI with corporate responsibility and implement necessary regulations to facilitate a smooth transition into a future where AI plays a more dominant role.