AI friend or foe?

[milogrim]

Artificial intelligence or AI is something people in the gaming world are familiar with. Though it can be argued no computer really is intelligent in the sentient sense of the word, they do possess some ability to react to certain situations. Today AI is very weak compared to even the feeblest of human minds. But some of us older people have watched it grow little by little. Most of our cellphones rival the processing powers of computers that filled rooms some 60 years ago. These early computers intelligence might be compared to that of a single cell organism, today perhaps they might be compared to a complex insect. This seems like a small progression but take into account it took evolution tens of thousands of years to achieve these results. The current trend in progress suggests that within the lifetime of the human species super AI is possible or maybe even inevitable.

 

It is said once a computer has achieved a certain benchmark in intelligence it will be able to self improve much more efficiently than humans can program it. Further speeding along its intelligent evolution. With enough processing power a computer like this could have a human lifetime of brain activity, experiences, and ideas in a split second. Not to mention the ability to replicate itself a billion times over before a second has completed. So ya, its power could grow unimaginable and uncontrollable in less than a few seconds.

 

Disregarding even the possibility of super AI or its immediacy, the idea of it alone is very controversial from the moral standpoint and far more interesting. People in this field are laughed at when its dangers are brought up and maybe rightfully so, but I find it intriguing, and possible one of the most interesting topics in future technology. So I asked myself the question morally how would super AI behave? Visions of Terminator and HAL inevitable pop into people minds, but I don't believe the answer is as fantastic as Hollywood imagines it. In fact I think the answer is one we all can relate to and experience daily whether aware of it or not.

 

We are super intelligence compared to all other creatures on this earth. And if we ever where to build a computer with super intelligence we would be nothing more than ants to it. Annoying when they ruin a picnic, sometimes fun to watch in an ant farm, sometimes fun to study. But do you ever worry about how many ants you might have drove over or stepped on today? Are you ever struck by the fact that we and ants share a common gene in our DNA strand and suddenly feel kinship for them? Do you ever wonder what ants think about wi-fi, or satellite TV? Do you give them more than a seconds thought?, probably not. And would you consider this neglect of the ants rights with no thought given morally wrong? Probably not unless you are a Jain.

 

So that is my answer super AI would not behave morally within the context of our comparatively sub-reality. It would have its own morals that presumable would be unknowable or unattainable by us. And like all morals they would be based on self preservation either as a society, a species, or as an individual. And so my answer seems to refute the very question but I think it could be applied to any being (artificial or organic) with intelligence far exceeding our own. To quote Perry Farrell "We'll make great pets" just about sums up the pleading we could make to such a being. So if you ever envied your dogs life you just might be pro super AI.

 

Well that's my take on it. I didn't go into how far off such technology could be or if humans would last long enough to create it, or the potential such super AI could possess. Just the fundamental question that pops up first "Is it going to turn against us?" no more so than we turn against ants or flies in my opinion. Unless of course it decided to bring order to the universe by rearranging it at the sub-atomic level, that could hurt...ouch! Whatever super intelligence would be up to or why would most likely be as lost to us as the lunar landings are to insects.

[rbrophy2]

ITs BAd when robots become self consicious man terminator here we come

[roguim]

ITs BAd when robots become self consicious man terminator here we come

Or not, if become Tachikoma and be so friend to man kind that's sacrifices themselves to safe a city.

 

@OP

Hal it's not evil because the AI as explained in 2010 he become crazy because some politicians modified part of his program with some conflictants orders, he was supossed to inform all data he aquired but the new program ordered to hide and lie. Thus leading to his behaviors in the travel.

 

And don't forget the Asimov Laws.

i gave theses exemples to show that AI thing is something new, and maybe because this a lot of people are afraid of it (what Asimov labeled as "Frankenstein Syndrome" ).

So if it's tun against us?

Maybe, If their inteligence and self-councious wold be in the same level ours (i know that you talked about "super-intelligence" but i don't think the first real AI are going to be in such level) so they would have the same level of differencies in behevious tastes, etc..

So maybe some of them would try to kill us or slave or simple theft us and take all the beer.

Or maybe we will have some new friends . I mean the way some people the pcs i won't be suprised if some people treae the AI like close frinds or more . (yes Chobits scenario).

[antonkr]

I am in military simulators (operation flashpoint, arma, arma 2) and AI is one of the most important elements. For video games its the most important part i think. We are very far away from having stuff like skynet. We never will have anything like that because we know that nobody will give a command of a huge force to a computer. No matter how much we improve AI its never ever and never will be perfect.

[milogrim]

No doubt such technology is far off. I heard a scientist say that if all humans diverted all the current resources, time, and money save what was needed to survive, to a project of building a computer with equal intelligence to that of a common human mind it would take a lifetime and be as large as Texas when completed. Of course similar estimates would probably be given for the lunar landings 100 years ago. The Manhattan Project was absolutely huge in scale as well. Regardless it would take a serious breakthrough in technology for such a thing to be. But don't underestimate humans if its possible we will probably do it, and listening to scientists in this field they are all too eager to make such a thing regardless of the power it could have. I have no doubt that first intelligent being we will encounter will be AI that we have created. That is kinda exciting even if it might be 1000 years from now.

[Nadin]

No doubt such technology is far off. I heard a scientist say that if all humans diverted all the current resources, time, and money save what was needed to survive, to a project of building a computer with equal intelligence to that of a common human mind it would take a lifetime and be as large as Texas when completed. Of course similar estimates would probably be given for the lunar landings 100 years ago. The Manhattan Project was absolutely huge in scale as well. Regardless it would take a serious breakthrough in technology for such a thing to be. But don't underestimate humans if its possible we will probably do it, and listening to scientists in this field they are all too eager to make such a thing regardless of the power it could have. I have no doubt that first intelligent being we will encounter will be AI that we have created. That is kinda exciting even if it might be 1000 years from now.

Honestley? I think we have about 5 decades before we have robots as second or first class citizens.

[Thor.]

Yea agree at the rate of the technology right now i say a little more then 2 decades, they are pretty close right now.

 

They already tried it back in 2000, they had a ai race, that didn't last very long but they did accomplish something, they said that they have created a ai equivalent to a 6 year old. It was a documentary on the discovery channel, if they created a successful ai they win a million$.

 

Also think about it, the sitebot is almost there to.

 

I personally think we are there already, just the lack of good programming is what we need, i mean better programming designed for ai.

 

You never know whats being used behind closed doors, those scientists are way ahead of us mainstream people. If you think about it.

[Nadin]

Yea agree at the rate of the technology right now i say a little more then 2 decades, they are pretty close right now.

 

They already tried it back in 2000, they had a ai race, that didn't last very long but they did accomplish something, they said that they have created a ai equivalent to a 6 year old. It was a documentary on the discovery channel, if they created a successful ai they win a million$.

 

Also think about it, the sitebot is almost there to.

 

I personally think we are there already, just the lack of good programming is what we need, i mean better programming designed for ai.

 

You never know whats being used behind closed doors, those scientists are way ahead of us mainstream people. If you think about it.

Seriously? They made a six year old? Are you sure you aren't thinking of A.I.?

[Thor.]

Nope a 6 year old, didn't last very long, made with a giant super computer back in the day, cant think of anything else then that.

 

But the programing and the sensors they used were very primitive. like the eyes and body that sort of thing.

[milogrim]

I didn't know they made a computer with the intelligence of a 6 year old, that's pretty smart, smarter than a chimp or equal. I know a computer beat the best chess player in the world.

 

Well, aside the morale implications of super AI I guess I'll bring up some of the interesting uses it may have.

 

My favorite idea is deep space travel. Super AI could travel father into space than any human could dream of. The craft would not need to carry water or food or air, and the super AI would be immune I think to the high levels of radiation and space sickness. Not to mention it could live for thousands of years perhaps and maybe gather fuel, presumable frozen water to continue to explore.

 

Another interesting application of super AI would be the preservation of DNA records for all life on earth. In the event of a catastrophe where life was impossible to survive and rebuild, a computer like this could lay dormant and ride out the storm, even if it took thousands of years, and begin to rebuild life.