HAL, SkyNet and Possible Robot Overlords
The idea of human-created “intelligence” supplanting and ruling over its creators is a recurring theme of popular science fiction. Dave had to overcome bossy HAL in 2001: A Space Odyssey, and the Terminator movies were all about humans struggling against technology that got out of humans’ command. Fans of TV’s The Big Bang Theory will recall that Sheldon and Leonard’s Roommate Agreement has a “SkyNet clause” that comes into effect in the event of artificial intelligence taking over the world like in the Terminator movies.
But have you noticed how SkyNet-type scenarios are now being taken seriously in real life?
Heavyweights in science and philosophy at Cambridge University – yes, that prestigious Cambridge in England – plan to open a Centre for the Study of Existential Risk to consider the threats “artificial intelligence” could pose to us homo sapiens.
A Cambridge philosophy prof named Huw Price is quoted in a recent news story as saying “it seems a reasonable prediction that some time in this or the next century intelligence will escape from the constraints of biology” – in other words, beyond what we mortals are capable of.
When that happens, “we’re no longer the smartest things around,” he said, and will risk being at the mercy of “machines that are not malicious, but machines whose interests don’t include us.” …
Price acknowledged that many people believe his concerns are far-fetched, but insisted the potential risks are too serious to brush away.
“It tends to be regarded as a flakey concern, but given that we don’t know how serious the risks are, that we don’t know the time scale, dismissing the concerns is dangerous. What we’re trying to do is to push it forward in the respectable scientific community,” he said. [source]
Price and others, including a co-founder of Skype, contend that technology could open a “Pandora’s box” of problems if we’re not careful.
The U.S. Defense Department addressed SkyNet concerns this fall to reassure the public that humans and only humans will make the decisions on when and where those flying robots called drone aircraft will kill people. Spencer Ackerman reported on this development at Wired:
Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter signed, on November 21, a series of instructions to “minimize the probability and consequences of failures” in autonomous or semi-autonomous armed robots “that could lead to unintended engagements,” starting at the design stage. …
The hardware and software controlling a deadly robot needs to come equipped with “safeties, anti-tamper mechanisms, and information assurance.” The design has got to have proper “human-machine interfaces and controls.” And, above all, it has to operate “consistent with commander and operator intentions and, if unable to do so, terminate engagements or seek additional human operator input before continuing the engagement.” If not, the Pentagon isn’t going to buy it or use it. [source]
Phew. So, it’ll always be dudes and dudettes making the decision to shoot explosives at a house and then do it again to complete the “double tap“? What a relief.
6 Comments
More on “double tap” in an October story by Osori: http://www.roundtree7.com/2012/10/double-tap/
The inevitable Butlerian Jihad ?? (Dune ref.) … This is a brilliant ‘hit and run’ think!, Mike! I think it’s propaganda by a 1% contingency that is freaking out over the connections WE ARE MAKING via technology to awaken from the deep assed sleep of servitude!
It’s like, shut down technology freedom … to only a select few.
The lesson of Frankenstein is still clear-beware lest your own creation turn on you. Karma is a dangerous thing and one way or another we will pay for the rape of the planet. Whether our downfall come from ‘Terminator’ type robots, GMO foods or environmental destruction we will be terminated by our own creations.
I love the analogy of Frankenstein as I believe this is exactly what Mary Shelly in her novel was describing. The modern Prometheus, be it robots or genetics or nano technology “grey goo”… the potential hoovers over us, awaiting the one slip up.
When you think about it, the more that everything is connected, the more that network has control over the things that are important in our lives. So the real question should be is “Will the internet become self aware?”.
Robert J. Sawyer’s “WWW” trilogy (the novels are titled “Wake,” “Watch” and “Wonder”). In “Wake,” the World Wide Web wakes up — and, after a bit of a learning curve, becomes the smartest entity on the planet. He explores the idea that if you were to shut down parts of the internet, would that “being” experience pain? That’s exactly what happens when the Chinese try to disconnect a large part of the internet in censorship. The WebMind feels this disconnect and doesn’t like what is happening so it goes into a defensive mode to protect itself.
Soon there will be more “connected” transistors around the world than there will be synaptic nerve connections in a human brain. Will the internet become self aware? IMHO.. it’s not if but when.
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Ya know, I think I’ll read those books. Thanks for the recommendation.
Sawyer has visited my home town a few times in the last couple of years, which is always a big thing for sci-fi fans. He’s not Stephen King famous, but I understand he’s *huge* in sci-fi.