Wait, What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
Artificial intelligence is computer technology equipped to think and learn as humans do. Artificial Intelligence mimics human intelligence, but makes far less mistakes, because unlike us humans, this technology does not have emotions built in.
Example of Impact of AI: Self-Driving Cars
For those who have been aware of this progress, they would know that new driver-less automobile technology is on the rise, with multiple manufacturers implementing this technology and testing it. The general consensus is that driving, and even owning our own personal vehicles will be phased out in the near future. With humans no longer needed to drive cars, trucks, buses, trains, etc., there are large issues that revolve around this technology (For more information on self-driving automobile technology, just google it). The ability to replace human labor with computer technology on a large scale is the threat of artificial intelligence. What are humans going to do for work when our economy has no need for a labor force and the job market is diminishing at a rapid rate?
Elon Musk Involved in AI
Elon Musk, founder of Tesla Motors, SpaceX, Paypal, and overall tech giant has recently announced his new venture “Neuralink”. This company was formerly a medical-research company based in California. It is looking to implement “neural lace” technology which will enable technology to merge with the human brain. Musk’s goal for this project is to enable the brain to work faster and keep up with artificial intelligence using the assistance of this technology.(source).
Wait a second? Musk wants to combat artificial intelligence with artificial intelligence? There seems to be an issue here. Part of me honestly thinks that Musk is personally threatened by the onset of artificial intelligence because he knows that this technology will outperform his own brain. Equipping himself with a much more capable super-brain implant is his solution apparently.
But Musk is just as skeptical of artificial intelligence as the rest of us. A reasonable explanation for his involvement in this new company is also that he simply desires to be involved in the cutting edge of this inevitable technology. This way he is able to stay ahead of it and somehow control it so that the technology doesn’t end up controlling us! After all, he is not alone in this endeavor as you can imagine. Bryan Johnson, a Silicon Valley startup success, is now investing his own money into a similar company called “Kernel” (source).
Musk has more to say about the future implications of artificial intelligence in terms of human labor. He thinks that we are getting closer and closer to a “universal basic income”. When AI displaces jobs on a large scale, people will need this basic universal income. The bigger problem Musk says, is “The harder challenge is how do people then have meaning – because a lot of people derive their meaning from their employment.” (source)
Russell Brand’s New Podcast “Under the Skin” Talks AI
Russell Brand’s new podcast “Under the Skin” is my new favorite podcast because it talks about our society with a critical eye. It examines many interesting and controversial issues with experts in academia. The recent buzz of artificial intelligence made its way into the discussion on episode five of the podcast which made for an amazing conversation.
Yuval Harrari is the podcast’s guest on episode five. He talks about the future of artificial intelligence being able to take over the whole purpose of human life. He talks about how when humans look for meaning in their life, they want to evoke a story of their impact on earth through their decision making. However, Harrari states that AI will change the way humans make decisions to the point that we don’t make any decisions at all!
Future artificial intelligence technology, Harrari says, will be able to examine your thoughts and emotions using bio-metric sensors. These sensors monitor your heart rate, brain activity, and body chemistry! This technology for example would know enough about you and your interests in addition to the future job market to tell you what college to go to, what to major in, and what job you should get. I’ve always thought knowing the future would be awful. It still sounds awful. Harriri theorizes that with this technology, these sensors will know more about us than we do. Therefore making them more equipped to make the correct decision! Mind. Blown.
The Question Still Remains… Where does that Leave Us?
What are we left to do when our jobs are displaced by AI? How do we get that fulfillment in life (Not that anyone knows how to get that in the first place)?
I would like to think that with the rise of the AI movement, an “off the grid movement” will accompany it. This movement would represent a rejection of this technology in favor of the roots of the human race (like a modern back to the land movement). For example, when one’s role in a society is threatened, one needs to find fulfillment through another avenue. If AI takes my job away, it makes sense for me to reject the value of AI entirely and live a life free of it.
My Conclusion/Thoughts
Who knows what the future of artificial intelligence will manifest itself as. The possibilities are seemingly endless. But you won’t catch me with a computer chip in my head. I would be more than happy joining up with an off the grid movement.
Many technological advancements are great, and I am happy to have access to them. However, I am not quite on board with a technology that knows more about me than I do. Much of the future of technology is troubling to me. Except for space travel. That is dope. I think visiting a planet with other intelligent life would be amazing!
Links:
https://www.wired.com/2017/03/elon-musks-neural-lace-really-look-like/
Under the Skin podcast with Russell Brand
If you want more: Netflix’s Black Mirror Examines of the Dark side of Technology
The coming of artificial intelligence has brought on some interesting takes on it. For example, the show “Black Mirror” on Netflix, which I could write a very long blog post on, is a show that comments on artificial intelligence in a haunting way. It presents the possibilities of artificial intelligence in a dark way, showing the extreme power of this technology. Some episodes include:
- Season 1 Episode 3: Nearly all of mainstream society elect to have a highly sophisticated memory chip in their brains. The chip records and enables playback of all your memories. This reality has significant implications as one might imagine.
- Season 3 Episode 5: Technology chip inserted into all military members enable them to dehumanize the enemy.
- Season 3 Episode 4: Humans can decide when about to die to upload their brain data (or soul if you will) to a large database where they spend eternity in paradise (“the cloud”).
Black Mirror did a great job examining the real potential consequences of this technology. After each of these episodes I felt uncomfortable and uncertain about the future of AI.