So a few weeks ago I started writing a blog, which echoed my previous stance on AI and the dangers of it. However, due to life, my 2-year old and with the ever over-whelming festive season fast approaching, I’ve not found time to circulate back and finish it, which has (I think) worked out well. Often these blogs (rants) are just a mind dump to provide some catharsis to the overwhelming thoughts and often frustration, which builds up in my head. Once I put these thoughts down into words (even if I don’t share), it purges me and creates space for the next batch of concerns, or maybe if I’m lucky, happy thoughts…
Now that a few weeks have passed and I’ve listened to the ever more present AI podcasts filling my feed and a documentary on Netflix called ‘Unknown: Killer Robots’, my stance on AI has adjusted. However, before I start blowing smoke up it’s a**, let’s circle back on where AI’s creator and potential nemesis (humans) got us to this point.
Firstly, AI scares me personally for 3 primary reasons:
The thought of Autonomous AI Robots going around ordering humans about (having taken over);
The mass unemployment;
The purpose of humans in such a World.
The cynics (like myself) would say this is a risk even if the Humans remain in charge – and they’d be right. What’s more dangerous to the World, an AI Robot or Donald Trump? We’ve seen the toxic outcome of Trumpism and it was horrifying.
However, these 3 issues unnerve me (and sometimes keep me awake at night), as I have a 2-year old child who will be part of this world and the subsequent impact. The unknowns and dangers of AI against my kid scare me. I already joke that hopefully he’ll be the leader of the resistance, rising up against the machines John Conner esque.
Coincidentally, in this interim reflection period, Mrs Wife had a catch-up with her Nana and the topic of AI came up, as it does more frequently in most social circles these days. The wise lady that Mrs Wife’s Nana is, made the comparison her generation had with World events and changes, such as the birth of Computers, the Internet, Social Media, Atomic Bombs, Chernobyl, The Cuban Missile Strike and Space travel to name a few. To put change into perspective, my 75-year old Dad use to get marbles, conquers and a tangerine for Christmas at a time when he (like most others) didn’t have a TV or bathroom in the house. TV’s were for the rich and bathtime consisted of being put in a tub of water in full view in the front room, with the water then being recycled by your siblings. Mrs Wife’ Nana, my Dad and many others of their generation have witnessed some major changes over the past Century. My Dad now has a TV and a bathroom in his house alongside the Internet and a cell phone, which is more sophisticated than the first ever computer and doesn’t take up the space of an entire building. He also has his own AI device called Alexa, which tells him the weather and plays his favourite songs. He’s seen 8-tracks, record players, VHS, DVD and CD players and a few Gulf Wars come and go. Even I can remember the old clunky Acorn computers we use to have in school, life before cell phones and social media. I guess my point is, as much as humans by design typically hate change, we adjust quickly to it. We recently came through a pandemic, which in the initial stages, certainly had the ‘Dooms Day’ vibes but we adapted quickly and now Covid is akin to the common cold for most. I guess the main issue with change is the unknown. As per the rapper Nas’ song ‘Hate Me Now’ “****** fear what they don't understand, hate what they can't conquer, Guess it's just the theory of man”. Very accurate.
Despite humans commendable ability to adjust quickly to change in an ever-changing World, we are also the reason these changes occur, along with its failures. Humans are ultimately responsible for everything, aside from the times good ol’ ‘Mother Nature’ turns up to remind us whose really in charge. As an example of failure, we’re inundated with true crime documentaries and podcasts, which tell the story of some murderer, rapist, sadist (to name a few of the sinister human pastimes), which walk among us. Humans have sanctioned the mass murders of millions and millions of other humans during Wars, which are often (if not always) for the benefit of greed or genocide in the case of Hitler. Wars are often started for the intent of stealing land (which nobody actually has a right to) and/or resources (oil) or because some mad sociopathic man (usually a man) just wants totalitarianism. Hussein, Ghaddafi, Hitler, Trump, Putin, Kim Jong Un, Mussolini to name a few are all examples of this. Surprisingly none of these (to date), have ever launched a nuclear bomb, despite having access to them (in most cases). Side note, only the US have launched nuclear bombs (2 in total) back in 1945, which has fortunately never been repeated. I guess there’s some credit to be given.
Back to crime, we are obsessed with documentaries on such notorious serial killers, such as Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, Charles Manson and John Wayne Gacy; my Netflix feed is endlessly suggesting these for me. I’ve listened to podcasts on the Moors Murders (Ian Brady and Moira Hindley), The Toybox Killer, Jimmy Saville and Joseph James DeAngelo (Golden State Killer), Religious Cults, such as Jonestown and so many more. Only this past week I’ve listened to the horrific crimes of Taylor Renee Parker and Gary Heidnik (I’ll spare you details here and you can google them should you have the stomach for it). I’ve also bared witness to horrific crimes on my own street, as written in ‘Shelter in Place’ and let’s not forget all the racial events, such as the LA Riots, Rodney King and most recently George Floyd. Climate change, sex-trafficking, paedophile rings, endangered species and trophy hunting are all the fault of humans. I could go on but the point is, everything that’s wrong with the World is because of us. We even created AI, so if it fails, then that’s on us too. It makes you wonder if AI could be any worse given our own track record.
As is the case, the horse has already bolted on AI, it’s happening whether we like it or not. Even if a certain Country or State didn’t want it, they have no choice, as another Country will. No Country would sit by not developing AI, knowing full well that another is. There’s always a race to be ahead of the competitor or enemy. It’s also the case why we have White Hackers, so banks can test out what the worst-case event is and where they are vulnerable. It’s now the case to easily ask an AI entity queries, such as how to hack, or how to create dangerous narcotics or nerve agents in the same way you could ask it how to solve ilnesses, such as cancer, AIDS or the climate change issue. Apparently it’ll cure homelessness too, although I’m unsure how at this stage, unless it’s by stripping rich folk and Politicians of avoiding paying taxes or making Wars more cost-effective, thus saving on monies to be re-distributed toward homeless people and other charities. I guess we’ll find out.
In addition to solving illnesses and numerous World issues, AI can also save humans by taking its place in many instances. Since we are likely to always have Wars, a drone can be sent into a conflict zone for surveillance and once the area is classified as safe, then the Soldiers can follow – I know this already happens. Think of how Soldiers and Police execute raids on buildings and upon the point of entering that initial doorway they become a sitting duck. An armed enemy or IED could be on the otherside so why not send a Robot in to do the dirty work first? This aside, there is the issue of AI entities in warfare, which may not be able to differentiate from an actual threat or civilian or worse a child. Of course, its hard to prove that a Human would either. What happens when a child comes into focus carrying a grenade?
On this line of thought, if a cave rescue is required, a robotic dog could be sent in to check it is safe first and take supplies with it.
It will also make waiting for a Dr’s appointment or to being seen to in Emergency a thing of the past. I don’t wish to do anyone out of a job and would of course prefer to interact with a human Dr but unfortunately our Medical staff (who are heroes – Dr Death and the Oxycontin pushers aside) are often overworked, under resourced and pushed far beyond what a human should be.
It could also free up us humans to focus on more engaging tasks and leave the populating of mundane spreadsheets to AI. There are many tasks we do on a daily basis that we’d rather pass off to someone else. Of course, please leave something for us humans to do though. The flip side of AI taking human jobs will of course be when an error is made. We don’t take too kindly to human error but appreciate we have our limits. However, when an AI entity makes an error, such as an inaccurate diagnosis then there will be uproar. Of course, its diagnosis might be more accurate and quicker than the human equivalent so that lump you had won’t get left untreated. There was of course the Uber accident a few years ago, which was the fault of an AI driven vehicle. On the flip-side, how many times have we travelled abroad only to be taken advantage of by a cab driver because they played on your vulnerability?
It’s also likely going to improve customer service. Far too often you are unable to reach a human and when you do they’re useless due to not being familiar with their products and processes, not fluent in the language of the Country where the issue has occurred or simply do not care. Often you’ll be on the phone to someone who honestly is just there for the paycheck and couldn’t care less about your broken appliance, car or the fact their system charged you multiple times and sent your account into arrears.
It’s also debatable to say that perhaps to keep the World moving forward and to solve many of the Worlds issues, we need more advanced technology, as we humans have reached our intellectual limit. Of course we’ll always have genius’, but are we ever going to be able to find a cure for cancer or AIDS? Maybe we have but the lucrative drugs industry are too busy riding the gravy train and holding back the cure? AI could possibly solve many of these issues.
I guess to conclude, like my Dad said of fire and water, both are great servants but bad masters. Same can be said for Humans. Like many things, there are amazing benefits but horrific flip sides. The classic double-edged sword. Social media can be truly amazing, the ability to reconnect with someone or reach out to people to help you with a problem or notify others on mass of dangers. Of course it also is a magnet for racist trolls, stalkers and cyber bullying. Eitherway, AI is happening and only time will tell if it helps, hinders or likely both but I suspect it won’t do any worse than us humans. For now, as good ol’ Arnie’s T-800 would say “Hasta La Vista Baby!”
Comments