Artificial Intelligence:  Are we rushing to be #2 on the food chain?

OK, so maybe they won’t have a craving for human flesh, but do we really want to create machines that are smarter than us? Sure, researchers could use more powerful computers for modeling complex processes like biochemistry for curing diseases or thermodynamics for better weather and climate prediction. I’d also like to upgrade from my current Pentium4, but it seems to me that surpassing the level of human intelligence might be a little counterproductive and precarious.

What got me started with this was having watched Ray Kurzweil on a television program enthusiastically predict the coming of the “Singularity”. In this case it means the point at which human-created artificial intelligence begins to exceed human intelligence. In order to be optimistic about such a thing I think you have to assume that such an entity would remain benevolent towards us after becoming superior. To me that seems like a mighty big and risky assumption! The complexity of its operation would most likely grow beyond our comprehension at this stage, and its further development would then be self-driven.

In the natural world the primary objective of any organism is its own growth and well being, with other organisms being used to serve that objective. What would make an AI “organism” unique in that way – that it would put the welfare of humans first and its own second – once it began evolving on its own, beyond our control? Like Clint Eastwood said in Dirty Harry: “Do you feel lucky?” Not me! Nor do I want something in my office looking down its mechanical nose at me with condescension, as something to be patronized. I’m still planning to upgrade my PC, but when they get to an IQ somewhere around 65 I’m drawing the line!

Personally, I have my doubts that we’ll create a master race of silicon creatures any time soon, but if we do, we better make sure we remain useful to them, and I don’t mean as food! :-)

P.H.

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