The Future of Smart Machines
The future of smart machines is down right scary.
Have you been keeping up with the development of smart machines? Let me tell you it is down right scary. Even scientists who designed them are beginning to wonder if they should go any further. For instance personal robots have been programmed to plug themselves into a power source when they need a charge. Scientists are debating the possibility of these robots becoming aware and humans losing control of their computer based systems. Other medical oriented robots are capable of interacting with patients to simulate empathy. We all know about the computer worms and viruses that cannot be exterminated and have reached a certain stage of computer intelligence.
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Scientists who met at the Asilomar Conference Grounds on Monterey Bay in California agreed robots that can kill are either here or soon will be, and that criminals can sabotage artificial systems and get control as soon as they are developed. Already, a service car developed by Willow Garage in Silicon Valley has proven it can navigate the interstates. The scientists discussed self driving cars, software based personal assistants,and service robots in the home which could all be taken over by criminals.
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I.J. Good first proposed the idea in 1965 that smart machines could design even more intelligent machines, later computer scientist Vernor Vinge proposed that humans will create machines smarter than humans , causing such a rapid change that the era of human intelligence will end and machines will take over.
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Some scientists such as William Joy, co founder of Sun Microsystems say the ultra smart machines heralds the news of wonderful things to come, including huge advances in life extension and great wealth. In fact an organization called the Singularity University began offering courses to prepare for the advances of intelligent machines and help society cope with the results.
Eric Horvitz, a Microsoft researcher said “A report from the conference will try to access the possibility of the loss of human control of computer based intelligence. It will also grapple with socioeconomic, legal and ethical issues, as well as probable changes in human computer relationships.”
I’m sure all of you remember “Hal” the computer that took over the ship in, “2001; A space Odyssey” . I thought it was all science fiction and imagination, but what if they were just a little ahead of their time, and a forecast of the future.
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19 Responses to “The Future of Smart Machines”
On August 1, 2009 at 3:36 am
Whoa… whoa whoa… it’s like iRobbot…
Blessings.
Sincerely,
-Liane Schmidt.
On August 1, 2009 at 4:17 am
Sounds like something out of an Isaac Asimov novel…
Regards,
Inna
On August 1, 2009 at 4:23 am
Scary, to say the least!
On August 1, 2009 at 5:30 am
As soon as they improve human-computer relations they should contact me.
On August 1, 2009 at 6:11 am
Interesting read here. I agree too, the imagination on this issue is scary. Thanks and have my liked it.
On August 1, 2009 at 8:40 am
absolutely right,anytime some of these machines will malfunction
On August 1, 2009 at 9:28 am
Very interesting article regarding technology that may go awry and turn schizophrenic. Mandkind will always take technology and twist it into diabolical proportions. Everyone should take note of this one for sure. Great article of social awareness.
On August 1, 2009 at 10:20 am
Terminator, anyone? Machines becoming self-aware, makes me really uneasy, though we humans tend to expect the worst, fearing what we don’t understand, assuming anything that isn’t like us would most likely want to destroy us. What if they develop empathy? What if there are good and bad machines? Will we just discriminate against them because they are supposedly more intelligent and a danger to us humans? A lot of things to contemplate…and just plain scary all-around!!
On August 1, 2009 at 11:15 am
Science fiction is dedicated to carrying the “if this goes on….” theory to its penultimate limit. Hopefully, the future will be more prone to Asimov robots than the Matrix.
On August 1, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Excellent thought provoking piece. We are relying on machines more and more each day. Heaven for bid if they were all taken away:-)
On August 1, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Do you remember the novel Demon Seed. It was a short story that later became a movie about a computer run smart house. The computer took over and imprisoned the owner a divorced women and found a way for her to carry the computers baby. Now the computer was alive in human form. You are right it is scary. Think about everything we have in our homes that are run by computer. Look at what we are writing on now. Even my washer and dryer are run by a computer.
On August 1, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Scary and very thought provoking indeed.
On August 1, 2009 at 7:26 pm
Well if the positronic brain could be ultimately materialized, it’s the first step to make robotics quite as complicated as its nemesis. Far as I’m concerned we haven’t gone far as understanding what’s behind our skin. But if they insist, they must as well adapt Isaac Asimov’s 3 laws of robotics to simplify the issue.
On August 1, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Very interesting topic, thanks for sharing!
On August 1, 2009 at 9:03 pm
I remember some years ago they made a movie I forget the name of it but the guy that plays in the young and the restless I think they call him Victor played in the movie.
It was about a scientist who had made a computer somewhat like Hal and the Terminator today. It took over and the scientist played by the above was under it control. I think the name of the computer was named Colloseus. Not sure of the spelling but I remember the name. Its possible I think.
After all a computer already beat one of our Chess Masters in the world. This has to tell you something. I hope it isnt so but time will tell.
Thanks Ruby. Some interesting stuff to think about.
On August 2, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Well now I’m scared all over again! Thanks for the information. Remember that humans are fallible, so the machines they create will always be flawed in one way or another.
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On August 2, 2009 at 8:01 pm
It will make for interesting times when machines are as smart as us, and eventually self aware too. What a world that will be. And will I want to live in it. Of that I’m not so sure….
On August 3, 2009 at 12:58 am
Ruby, I’m a firm believer that a machine can only do what a human will tell it to do. Loss of control is not possible…unless it is programmed in. Maybe we’ll tech ourselves to death though!
Brian
On August 17, 2009 at 10:14 pm
thank you my friends for your interest and comments. It sounds like science fiction, doesn’ t it.
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