Technology in Sci-fi Discussion #3: AI
Artificial Intelligence has occupied humanity’s interest for quite some time now. As thinkers, imaginers, innovators, and dreamers, we just can’t help but wonder about the extent of our own ability to create. To some, the concept of AI is scary, and to others it is an exciting challenge to pursue. Regardless of which camp you might gravitate towards, (if any) it can’t be denied that there’s a lot of myths, misconceptions, and fiction mixed in with the truth and reality of AI as it exists today. So, let’s talk about it.
What is AI?
I’m not a computer scientist, but I’ll throw this out there: Artificial intelligence exists when a machine can interpret data from its environment, and use this data to adapt in ways that aid it in achieving its goals. The machine’s goals may be assigned by a user, or may be self-generated. The term intelligence is typically assigned when a machine is observed to behave like a human mind, that is, in a manner that resembles the cognitive functions present in natural intelligence. In short: Artificial Intelligence is when machines can think.
AI in Science Fiction
AI has been important to Science Fiction since we first began to imagine the possible uses of computers.While AI has been depicted as anywhere from dangerous, such as HAL 9000 in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, to downright bent on eradicating humanity, such as Skynet in the Terminator franchise, it has also enjoyed its fair share of being on the side of good. Cortana is invaluable to the survival of humanity throughout (most of) the Halo franchise, and Marvin the Android saves the crew of the Heart of Gold many times in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, despite being profoundly depressed.
Creators of sci-fi have utilized AI effectively in a huge variety of roles, and many of these depictions involve taking over the world, but it is important to recognize that this is speculative fiction, and not necessarily prophetic. It is the duty of a sci-fi writer to compel the reader to consider the implications of the technologies we develop. However, it is the duty of the reader to think rationally when presented with these imagined scenarios, and to always rely on fact more than fiction to make informed decisions. Panic and hysteria over something that might happen in the distant future has seldom helped anyone.
AI Today
The AI that exists today looks a lot different than how it is often portrayed in fiction. So much so, in fact, that many people do not realize that they encounter AI on a daily basis. For example, Pandora Internet Radio uses a pretty intuitive AI to help you build “radio stations” around particular songs, artists, or both. Amazon uses AI to target advertisements to consumers who are more likely to buy particular products. A Tesla vehicle can assist a driver in lane keeping, collision avoidance, and dynamic efficiency control. Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa are both AI that you can interact with through speech, which might be a closer fit to most people’s expectations for AI. So while the technology is a long way off from exterminating humanity, or helping us defeat the Covenant in a galactic war, AI is already having a significant impact on the world.
Is AI dangerous?
This is a question that is often asked, and it’s fair to be concerned, to be honest. As I’ve already mentioned, the sci-fi community has shown us plenty of scenarios in which humans create machines that are too smart, and decide to eradicate humanity. However, (as I’ve also already stated) there’s no reason for panic yet. AI is nowhere close to being able to destroy us, and an intelligence that is powerful enough to do it would require computer technology that also doesn’t exist yet. So while people like Elon Musk and Bill Gates say that we have reason to be afraid, I say that there’s no harm in exploring the possibilities that AI presents, as long as we exercise the same caution that’s due to any other discipline with such enormous potential and implications.
AI in the Future
Will AI ever become what it’s shown to be in books, movies, and TV shows? It could, and in a lot of cases, probably will. As Computer technology continues to advance alongside the skills and methods of programmers, the machines we create will become more capable of performing an increased variety of tasks. For many examples of fictional AI, the question is not if, but when. Predicting the rate of progress in computer technology has always been difficult, and the progression of AI and its supporting hardware is no different. How far will AI advance? Nobody can say, but we’ll likely be waiting a long time to find out.
What do you think about artificial intelligence? Join the conversation in the comments below!
75 Replies to “Technology in Sci-fi Discussion #3: AI”
I recently heard on a talk radio show how China is proclaiming that by 2030 they will be the world leaders in AI. This does scare me a bit knowing that China does not always use it’s gifts and knowledge is the most morally upright way. They now are employing a credit rating system for all their residents. You are tracked by everything you do or purchase, your education and job and the system determines your rating. You can be denied certain rights, benefits, jobs or education because of a too low rating. I think they are just a step away from implanting chips into all residents also for the purpose of tracking. I’m glad I still live in the U.S. where we still have some individual freedoms.
The really dangerous AI will require advancements in computing before they can be developed. I think that Whoever is ahead in hardware development (or has access to the best hardware) will be leaders in AI. The human mind is still the most powerful, and most dangerous computer.