What do you say to someone who fears that robots will take human jobs?
Report
Hunter
@ems_hodge What's the expression" Be afraid, very afraid.
Then sober up and realize this is just a continuation of a long process of automation. It's nothing new, it's just happening faster. It's not us vs. them; it's rich (those that can invest in automation) vs. the rest of us (workers). Karl Marx understood this, but he didn't understand that automation could apply to 'white collar' workers as well as manual laborers. However, the same principles apply. We can deal with this, but if we let nature take its course without some adjustments to our social and economic policies, it's going to be a very rough ride. That's what my book is about!
Hi @jerry_kaplan, i'm a founder of a new product that uses adaptive technologies to build portfolio websites for creative individuals, based around the content they add. I'm looking for a killer inspiration quote to use in our material (preferably pulled from a video) that sums up the application of AI, machine learning in the fields of creativity, or as an aid to human creativity. I've found an old quote from Kurzweil (2010) which is okay, but I wondered if, with your knowledge of the industry, whether you had any go-to sources, or any suggestions of talks/presentations by specific individuals that might help me - anybody you think I should be looking at.
Report
Hunter
@magnasoma Hi Tim - can you post the Kurzweil quote? That will give me a better idea what you're looking for. Pithy quotes R Us! ;)
@jerry_kaplan : - i'm looking for something a little more inspirational about how machine learning, decision-making may help or assist creatives individuals with their task
Report
Hunter
@magnasoma How about something like this: "They say a poor workman blames his or her tools. But its just as true that a great artist cherishes his or her tools. The more powerful the tool, the easier to transcend the mundane, inspire, and enlighten us. I look forward with awe to the great human works AI will enable."
(c) Jerry Kaplan ;)
Hi @jerry_kaplan
This is one of my favorite subjects, especially as AI injects itself further into my field of study; marketing technology, via predictive analytics mostly. I'm fortunate enough to be able to talk to some smart people on this topic, and I look forward to reading your new book. Here's my question:
Patrick Ehlen at Loop AI Labs said this: "The Machine Apocalypse scenario is the minority view of some admittedly very smart people who may or may not know the future of AI. One thing we know for certain is that anything that is effective at doing good is also effective at doing evil." And when Pew Research canvassed 1,895 experts in the field on the economic, and social impact of AI and robotics between now and 2025, they were almost exactly split on how bleak the future is. Half said it was "bad," citing a future where machine intelligence grows to the point where it increases economic disparity.
Where do you stand on that argument? Do you expect AI to widen social, cultural, and economic gaps, replacing blue/white-collar workers within the next 10 years? Or are we talking about technologies that, while achievable, will still take several generations to become mainstream enough to cause any widespread change?
Report
Hunter
Wow great question. The emergence of intelligent machines certainly raises questions about our own consciousness. I've read extensively on this subject (so you don't have to), and the plain truth is that we have no idea what consciousness is. There's a perfectly reasonable argument that it's some sort of illusion, or at least that the belief we have in its existence has some evolutionary purpose. Assuming you're conscious, this may sound ridiculous, but as Nick Bostrom hilariously argued (because he made such a good case), there's a good chance we don't exist at all in the conventional sense but are simply living in a simulation. Welcome to the Matrix? He seriously argues for this possibility.
Thanks to everyone for the terrific conversation! Have to run but I'll check back in later in case the discussion continues, so feel free to post... Jerry
Report
Thanks @jerry_kaplan this was an amazing AMA! I wanted to ask what your thoughts on the influence AI might have on our own biological evolution...do you believe AI can aid in extending human life...possibly to the point it changes what it would mean to be "human"? Maybe too deep a question now that the AMA is over? :)
Report
Hunter
@parkerwoodward It's a little difficult to speculate on what AI might or might not mean for our own evolution. Today I really just see AI as a form of industrial automation, not some developing type of magic. I do think that as we continue to extend our lives with medical techniques and technologies, we're going to become more "cybernetic", but I don't think this has any important psychological or physiological implications that aren't obvious.
There's a whole 'movement' called Transhumanism that takes the opposite view ... that somehow prosthetics and AI will cause us to merge into some sort of super-beings. But I think this is a mixture of techno-mysticism and wishful thinking. I'm fine with a mechanical body as mine wears out (strictly as a second option, considering the alternative), but it's nothing more than what it is - replacing worn out parts. Whether it is "me" or not is up to the beholder. Personally I'm more prone to out-of-mind experiences than out-of-body experiences. (I'm not sure I'm me right now!)
Jerry
@jerry_kaplan Do you think there's a good rule of thumb or heuristic you can apply to predicting what will and what won't be automated out of human employment? Any surprising exceptions you've found?
Report
Hunter
@tymrtn The big surprises are the sorts of jobs that can be automated that you would never expect. For instance, selling and persuasion. See the link in my answer to Kunal Bhatia. Also I talk about this extensively in my book!
Report
Hunter
The movie was terrific, but is about as realistic as the Star Trek transporter ... which is to say not at all. We may have deep relationships with robots, but it's a one way street. That's a very serious danger --- it may be possible to build 'bots' that hijack our emotions and persuade us to work against our own interests. There's a really cool TV series called "Black Mirror" that covers this (in some episodes) extremely thoughtfully.
Kevin Kelly has mentioned we need a new mythology that better integrates advancement of tech and the rate of change with the actualization of human experience. What do you think about this? Do we need new religion to deal with AI?
Report
Hunter
@eriktorenberg Great point. I agree with him that the current Western way we parse up our universe -- that there are living things along side inanimate things, and there's a fundamental difference -- is likely to prove inadequate to help us deal with what's coming. By contrast, the Shinto religion in Japan has no problem with intelligent machines, because it doesn't make this distinction (more specifically, it teaches that everything has it's own spirit). I don't subscribe to that, but it sure makes it easier to make sense of what happening and what's likely to happen!
Perhaps you should start thinking now about what you're going to say when a robot proposes to your daughter!! (pardon the gender stereotyping)
Replies
Product Hunt
Fabrik
Fabrik
Fabrik
VentureBeat Insight
The Best Life Planner 2021
Product Hunt
Turfly
Backchannel