A.I. to take over the World

[TGHusker]

Artificial Intelligence taking over the world seems like sci fi stuff from the 60s. But some believe it is just around the corner - literally.

How concern are you that AI will get beyond our ability to control it - where it ends up controlling us? Is the song "In the Year 2525" coming before its time?

Will we humans 'de-evolve' as we use less and less of our own brains and muscles? Will the frozen custard stands go out of business because robots don't eat frozen custard?

 

 

How will robotics help or hinder your career? In my world of corp credit, there are more and more tools available from a computing, analysis perspective that it has helped me to become more efficient and lower costs. As an adjunct teacher, technology has enhanced the classroom experience, bridged distance - making brick and mortar buildings not a requirement for "school to happen". The fully "robotic" classroom may be in the near future, and in some ways is available today. Students are able to access a 'cafeteria' of subject matter and be able to be both the 'teacher' and the student. The faculty may become like that clerk at the 'self help' cashier lines. Just watching over the process in case there are questions or problems.

 

 

 

https://www.yahoo.com/tech/s/steve-wozniak-future-ai-scary-154700881.html

 

Machines to replace almost half of jobs in 20 years:

 

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/technology/sci-tech/robots-to-replace-almost-half-of-jobs-over-next-20-years-expert-20150323-1m5oei.html

[BigRedBuster]

Sort of on the same topic, I read an article not too long ago about how people are now so tied to their cell phones that they are an extension of their brain. The article made it sound like a bad thing as if people aren't thinking.

 

I don't see it as a bad thing.

 

Right now I'm doing the same job my father did 20 years ago. However, now days the amount of information I'm expected to know is huge compared to what he had and info travels so much faster.

 

There is no way you could process as much info as we do now with out technology like this.

 

I'm still using my brain to make decisions but I have so much more info available to make that decision and more decisions faster.

[strigori]

That cell phone thing is such garbage. Because we no longer need to memorize phone numbers does not make us morons. We have so much more information we deal with on a daily basis, using a 'contacts' list instead of memorizing phone numbers is no argument. And really, how many numbers did people used to memorize? People were much more prone to keeping most of that info in a paper format, either a little black book, a rolodex, or a stack of business cards.

[Landlord]

The point in time that we develop AI that can outthink us is called 'The Singularity', and is pretty fascinating to read up on.

 

 

Time magazine did a huge article on this a few years back:

 

http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2048299,00.html

[ZRod]

That cell phone thing is such garbage. Because we no longer need to memorize phone numbers does not make us morons. We have so much more information we deal with on a daily basis, using a 'contacts' list instead of memorizing phone numbers is no argument. And really, how many numbers did people used to memorize? People were much more prone to keeping most of that info in a paper format, either a little black book, a rolodex, or a stack of business cards.

 

But at the same time you don't retain a much information as you could, because you don't see it as important since you can go back and look it up at will

[Landlord]

That cell phone thing is such garbage. Because we no longer need to memorize phone numbers does not make us morons. We have so much more information we deal with on a daily basis, using a 'contacts' list instead of memorizing phone numbers is no argument. And really, how many numbers did people used to memorize? People were much more prone to keeping most of that info in a paper format, either a little black book, a rolodex, or a stack of business cards.

 

 

 

It's not garbage. Having access to infinitely more information externally has stunted our ability to retain information internally. Which is fine, just as long as you've got signal and battery life.

[strigori]

 

That cell phone thing is such garbage. Because we no longer need to memorize phone numbers does not make us morons. We have so much more information we deal with on a daily basis, using a 'contacts' list instead of memorizing phone numbers is no argument. And really, how many numbers did people used to memorize? People were much more prone to keeping most of that info in a paper format, either a little black book, a rolodex, or a stack of business cards.

But at the same time you don't retain a much information as you could, because you don't see it as important since you can go back and look it up at will

 

You retain different information, not less. Its beyond a cop out to say people can't remember anything because they can look up info.

[Landlord]

 

 

That cell phone thing is such garbage. Because we no longer need to memorize phone numbers does not make us morons. We have so much more information we deal with on a daily basis, using a 'contacts' list instead of memorizing phone numbers is no argument. And really, how many numbers did people used to memorize? People were much more prone to keeping most of that info in a paper format, either a little black book, a rolodex, or a stack of business cards.

But at the same time you don't retain a much information as you could, because you don't see it as important since you can go back and look it up at will

 

You retain different information, not less. Its beyond a cop out to say people can't remember anything because they can look up info.

 

 

 

 

 

Says some joe schmo posting on a messageboard, when peer reviewed scientific studies have proven otherwise.

[NUance]

It might be a possibility that AI could end the world. Like in the movies where a neural net starts a global nuclear war. (War Games, Terminator 2, etc. LOL) Then again, there is also a possibility that a programming glitch could end the world. (Damn those GOTO statements and the weird logic they create. LOL)

 

But AI won't supplant mankind anytime soon. AI can't replicate itself. AI can't repair itself. AI can't even feed itself. Computers are really, really good at performing rote tasks in rapid succession. But AI is not creative at problem solving. Most of the so-called problem solving done by AI right now is just directed brute force calculation. Just look at Deep Blue. Playing chess on a game board with 64 squares and a handful of pieces is a fairly limited problem, in the big scheme of things. Yet to develop Deep Blue it's taken IBM countless millions of dollars, a team of scientists and chess masters working for the better part of a decade, and a massively parallel computer that calculates 200+ millions of chess positions per second. All this to play the game of chess—a board game that I can buy at Osco Drug for $7.99. And even though Deep Blue can play a mean game of chess, it can't change the oil in my car. AI just isn't very flexible in regards to performing tasks or problem solving. Any travelling salesman could tell you that.

 

/IMHO

[TGHusker]

The point in time that we develop AI that can outthink us is called 'The Singularity', and is pretty fascinating to read up on.

 

 

Time magazine did a huge article on this a few years back:

 

http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2048299,00.html

Man's quest for immortality continues.

[Moiraine]

It might be a possibility that AI could end the world. Like in the movies where a neural net starts a global nuclear war. (War Games, Terminator 2, etc. LOL) Then again, there is also a possibility that a programming glitch could end the world. (Damn those GOTO statements and the weird logic they create. LOL)

 

But AI won't supplant mankind anytime soon. AI can't replicate itself. AI can't repair itself. AI can't even feed itself. Computers are really, really good at performing rote tasks in rapid succession. But AI is not creative at problem solving. Most of the so-called problem solving done by AI right now is just directed brute force calculation. Just look at Deep Blue. Playing chess on a game board with 64 squares and a handful of pieces is a fairly limited problem, in the big scheme of things. Yet to develop Deep Blue it's taken IBM countless millions of dollars, a team of scientists and chess masters working for the better part of a decade, and a massively parallel computer that calculates 200+ millions of chess positions per second. All this to play the game of chess—a board game that I can buy at Osco Drug for $7.99. And even though Deep Blue can play a mean game of chess, it can't change the oil in my car. AI just isn't very flexible in regards to performing tasks or problem solving. Any travelling salesman could tell you that.

 

/IMHO

 

Things are way more advanced now than that. Maybe I'm missing something but what I know of Deep Blue is it did its thing in 1996 (ancient history) and has since been retired.

 

We're now using machine learning in every day applications (Facebook's facial recognition).

 

The military can feed photos of what they want computers to look for, e.g. bomb shelters/enemy hideouts, and then those computers "learn" how to find them among millions of photos. They can go through those images way faster than any human could to find potential targets. I'm sure there are loads of military applications that we're not even aware of.

[Landlord]

 

But AI won't supplant mankind anytime soon. AI can't replicate itself. AI can't repair itself. AI can't even feed itself. Computers are really, really good at performing rote tasks in rapid succession. But AI is not creative at problem solving. Most of the so-called problem solving done by AI right now is just directed brute force calculation.

 

 

 

What you're referring to isn't AI. It's just programmed computers.

 

 

Scientists that nerd out over this idea estimate that we'll have the tech and knowledge to reverse engineer the human brain within the next 20 years or so. That sounds farfetched, but technology increases at an exponential rate (aka if it takes 10 years to get a computer to "level 100", it will take 5 years to get to level 200, 2.5 years to get to 400, etc.), so the further along we go the faster we go.

[BigRedBuster]

 

 

But AI won't supplant mankind anytime soon. AI can't replicate itself. AI can't repair itself. AI can't even feed itself. Computers are really, really good at performing rote tasks in rapid succession. But AI is not creative at problem solving. Most of the so-called problem solving done by AI right now is just directed brute force calculation.

 

 

 

What you're referring to isn't AI. It's just programmed computers.

 

 

Scientists that nerd out over this idea estimate that we'll have the tech and knowledge to reverse engineer the human brain within the next 20 years or so. That sounds farfetched, but technology increases at an exponential rate (aka if it takes 10 years to get a computer to "level 100", it will take 5 years to get to level 200, 2.5 years to get to 400, etc.), so the further along we go the faster we go.

 

I don't believe that for a minute. This falls right along the lines that we were always told that by year 2000 we would all be flying around in hover craft cars.

[TGHusker]

 

 

 

But AI won't supplant mankind anytime soon. AI can't replicate itself. AI can't repair itself. AI can't even feed itself. Computers are really, really good at performing rote tasks in rapid succession. But AI is not creative at problem solving. Most of the so-called problem solving done by AI right now is just directed brute force calculation.

 

 

 

What you're referring to isn't AI. It's just programmed computers.

 

 

Scientists that nerd out over this idea estimate that we'll have the tech and knowledge to reverse engineer the human brain within the next 20 years or so. That sounds farfetched, but technology increases at an exponential rate (aka if it takes 10 years to get a computer to "level 100", it will take 5 years to get to level 200, 2.5 years to get to 400, etc.), so the further along we go the faster we go.

 

I don't believe that for a minute. This falls right along the lines that we were always told that by year 2000 we would all be flying around in hover craft cars.

 

Maybe my standard was too low in my thread on which car you'd like to drive now on the Big Red Lounge forum, I should have said a challenger hover craft car. Were are the Jetsons when we need them.