Is Advanced AI + Robot Army = End of Human Race? ~ ROBOTs TECHNOLOGY

Wednesday 27 May 2015

Is Advanced AI + Robot Army = End of Human Race?

20:44 Telli k No comments

In many post-apocalyptic stories, the impetus for the end of order and reason is a “robot uprising” – the idea that robots created by humans have gained sentience and want either their freedom, or to rule humans. The question is, could this really happen? Could the human race be enslaved or even wiped out by artificial intelligence? Could AI and a hypothetical robot army be our end-game?

Stephen Hawking believes that too much AI could be a stepping stone to our end. Although the famous scientist relies on artificial intelligence and robotics to help him deal with his disabilities, he still believes that “Once humans develop artificial intelligence, it will take off on its own and redesign itself at an ever-increasing rate.” Humans simply can’t compete with the quick abilities that AI have to learn and adapt, due to our biological restrictions and needs. Does this mean that robots would overtake us in intelligence? Hawking doesn’t make a prediction that would go that far.

The idea of artificial intelligence being a helpmate for humans has been around for at least a century. The top test for whether or not a robot, or other AI, is indistinguishable from a human (for example, able to hold a full, spontaneous conversation) is the Turing Test, which was developed by Alan Turing over 65 years ago. The idea that robots will be able to interact with us much in the same way that other humans do has been around for quite a while. While some people think this could be a less-than-friendly interaction, many others insist these robots can be used in areas where people are less likely to want to work, such as factories, or where cheaper labor is needed, such as daily health care. In a health care situation, these robots can also be soothing and helpful to their patients.

However, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is more forthright in his idea of the future. Wozniak muses, “Will we be the gods? Will we be the family pets? Or will we be ants that get stepped on? I don’t know about that, but when I got that thinking in my head about if I’m going to be treated in the future as a pet to these smart machines…well, I’m going to treat my own pet dog really nice.” He agrees with other technology thought leaders such as Hawking and Elon Musk that the future may not be the best place to be a human. Should we be thinking about ways to make our laptops happier?

SpaceX owner and technology innovator Elon Musk has some ideas about what could happen in the future, as well. Being friends with the CEO of Google, he’s had a first hand look at how quickly technology that the average person uses can evolve. Google’s AI is well known, with self-driving cars and a near-psychic search engine. A Tweet from Musk’s Twitter account in 2014 states “We need to be super careful with AI. Potentially more dangerous than nukes.” This sort of thinking is not new – robot overlords have been a recurring trope of science fiction stories since the 1960s. Should we be worried that growing use of robots is bringing this idea to fruition?

Finally, we look at the idea of the world’s most well-known computer guru, Bill Gates. Gates is no stranger to AI or robots, but although he believes robots are here to do good, he states that “I don’t understand why some people are not concerned” when it comes to the possibilities. No one is saying that robots should be a future worry, or that artificial intelligence is an area that should be avoided. But it’s important to consider these questions as we reach towards a future where robots outnumber humans. Should we put limitations on what robots can do? Should we put in “escape plans” and ways to control AI in case of emergency? Or should we trust our programming abilities and hope for the best?

No matter what your take on the debate, it’s important to note that the future is definitely going to include robotics and artificial intelligence. There may be no way to predict exactly how the interacts will pan out – whether we end up with friendly allies or angry enemies, but we can affect how this ends up. If we develop AI carefully and make sure to create our new helpmates with safeguards, the future may be one with happy robots and humans working simultaneously.