This past weekend, I had the honor of presenting at a
conference hosted by the Brighter Brains Institute and AGI Innovations, in Piedmont, California. The topic was
Artificial Intelligence and the Singularity. There were many great speakers, and
of course the panel discussions were lively and intelligent. The focus of my
part in the day was to discuss how we might influence the morality of
Artificial Intelligence.
The answer here seems very clear to me. The only way to
influence the morality of anything is to be very clear about your own morality
as a creator.
There are many ways
to think, but all decisions, programs, and intelligence seem to come down to
two very basic algorithms: Threat assessment and connection.
In the case of threat assessment, the thinker sees others in
the world as a threat. What constitutes a threat varies from person to person, as it
will also vary in computer applications. If you see the need to kill others in
order to maintain the life you think you deserve, then kill you will. You’ll
also probably invest in or create artificial intelligence to do the deed for
you.
Needing to control others also falls in this algorithm of
threat assessment. The other is seen as something to be manipulated for various
reasons—perhaps to buy something, to believe something, or to vote for
something. Again, why you need to control the other may vary, but you can be
sure if you think in terms of control and manipulation, you’ll also invest in
and create technologies to do it for you.
Regardless of how logically the machine thinks, it will be
up to the designers, engineers and customers to give it a morality, which in
this case is simply the way it’s used. Will you set it to help find the cure
for cancer, or will you set it in a drone and have it hunt out your enemies?
The artificial
intelligence, or technology, isn’t destructive. It’s the humans who design it use it that are destructive.
And what about connection? This is also an algorithm of
thinking. In this paradigm, we seek to share resources and connect with others
in order to be greater. Here’s where the AI in the cancer research lab joins
forces sifting through data to help us find the solution. In this sphere AI can
help a homemaker run his/her household, or organize data when planning a big
event. It could even help guard against fraud in elections. It’s in the realm
of connection that the Internet was born, bringing us closer than ever before
in ways that were unimaginable just decades ago.
Let's hope
that artificial intelligence is also born within the algorithm of connection, because I’m not sure humanity can
withstand the technologies of threat assessment for much longer.
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