Alright, so I just finished reading the AlphaGo Artificial Intelligence Room for Debate post on the New York Times. Alongside that, I read another article asking, "are robots becoming more human?" There's been a lot of talk recently about how we're losing our connection with each other because of social media and technology ruining social interactions. However, maybe it's not the apps and technology that are at fault. Now, I'm all for technology, and I don't believe that it's ruining our social interactions. Let me ask those who do believe that it is ruining our social interactions, "maybe it isn't the technology?"
For years, scientists have studied and attempted to make robot AI that was indistinguishable from human intelligence. Fictional works like I, Robot, starring Will Smith, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and MegaMan are also prime examples of AI becoming more human like, but "while we've focused on the machines, have we ignored changes to our own capabilities?" The problems we face with technology isn't in the machines, it's in the humans. The article I was reading states that maybe "instead of asking, "are robots becoming more human?" we need to ask "are humans becoming more robotic?"
That's precisely the argument a character in the novel I just read made. He's an AI engineer, standing trial in 2040 for making machines that were too lifelike. He asks that question, :"Are you distressed because I've made machines that are too human, or because you are losing your humanity and becoming more like a machine?" It's an interesting question.
ReplyDeleteFor a couple of summers, my students read Sherry Turkle's book, Alone Together. I think I'll post her TED talk to the blog. Many of the scientists behind the atomic bomb lived to regret their work; likewise, many AI people are backing off of what once excited them so much. Postman points out that we just run hurly burly into the Next Big Thing without ever stopping to consider the (unintended) consequences. The ethical implications are usually what we're looking at once the cat is out of the bag, and clawing our drapes into ribbons.
What a crazy analogy. It's late. I better go to bed before I say something truly goofy.