Monday, December 15, 2014

AI and the Future

In my last post I discussed my recent biological challenge and I reflected on technology versus biology.  I discussed the analog nature of human-to-human interactions versus the logical Mr Spock computer interactions we experience daily.  From these observations, I would like to pose the question "Are we creating our non-biological replacements?"

Will technology be the future of humanity?  I'm already part technology with staples, clips, artificial plumbing, and valves.  My artificial components are only passive, with no "smarts" -- yet. What about when we add computational elements?  Will we supplement our brains with artificial intelligence (AI)?  Will we become lifeforms with silicon implants (computers, AI, etc.)?

I recently read Stephen Hawking looks at Transcendence where he wonders if we are not taking AI seriously enough.  In another article Stephen Hawking asks if Artificial Intelligence could be a real danger. I agree and have had many thoughts along the same line for several years.

This is a great quote:  "Success in creating A.I. would be the biggest event in human history. It might also be the last"

Elon Musk (PayPal, Tesla, SpaceX) also warned about AI in multiple posts, for example he stated:   "The risk of something seriously dangerous happening is in the five year timeframe".  He should know, as he invested in DeepMind which was recently purchased by Google.

These warnings are similar to the discussions about the technological singularity also discussed in this the article "2045, The Year Man Becomes Immortal". For more information on the singularity, see  http://www.singularity.com/.

"The Singularity is an era in which our intelligence will become increasingly nonbiological and trillions of times more powerful than it is today"

This EE times article postulates that successful AI could be the next level of our evolution?  Silicon life forms (not life forms with silicon implants)?

Science Fiction has included many warnings about the development of sophisticated AIs that are superior to us.  For example, Fredericks Saberhagen's Berserkers are self-replicating machines, very sophisticated AIs, left over from an interstellar war and programmed to destroy all life.  When I read the first book, I had trouble sleeping for weeks.  It scared me and woke me up to the dark side of technology.

What do you think about our Terminator overlords?

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