What Is it?
A.G.I. stands for Artificial General Intelligence. What this means in laymen’s terms is a computer that has the ability to learn and retain information. A.G.I. is at the forefront of science fiction and could become a reality very soon according to Elon Musk and Sam Harris. If you don’t know who these people are, Elon Musk is the co-founder of Tesla Motors and the CEO/CTO of SpaceX. He is an active inventor, engineer, and investor. If you haven’t heard Tesla or SpaceX, I strongly urge you to look them up and do some reading. Sam Harris is a best-selling author and neuroscientist. He is a little controversial but what he says in his talk on the Joe Rogan Experience is definitely interesting and enlightening on just how close we are.
Should it be created?
This is both a very exciting and scary idea. Should we strive to create something bigger and better than us that could wipe us out without much difficulty? Is it something that’s needed or just an accident waiting to happen? How would we curb this newly sentient being into looking out for our best interests? How do we know if this being would even care what’s happening on Earth? All valid “cons” of the A.G.I. idea and the reasons why a lot of people are questioning if we should create this. It also has its uses. With this A.G.I., we wouldn’t have to worry about car wrecks, maintaining infrastructure, or even agriculture. If this A.G.I. was built and was helpful to the human race we wouldn’t need a lot of things and a lot of jobs. It would, presumably increase quality of living while simultaneously decreasing costs across the country. Things would be cheaper, more efficient, and easier to manage. The downside to these “pros” is the loss of manual and unskilled labor. Lots of people would find themselves out of work. Now this change would be gradual but over a relatively small time-frame. The IT industry would explode and more people would be needed to maintain the electrical systems this being would need to “travel” through. While it is indeed a very slippery slope, I think A.G.I. if handled well can help us out for the future but we have a minute margin for error.
How can we insure the Human race lives after?
If the A.G.I. is made and handled correctly, I believe we can live together in a symbiotic relationship. As I said before, we are walking a tightrope with this one. If we restrict its communication with others and “entice” the machine to move forward and learn, as Harris said in the video, we will find the end product will be jaded towards the human race and possibly even hostile. If we give it “laws” like the 3 Laws of Robotics, the A.G.I. would be stifled and most likely try to break those chains. If we leave it free to do whatever it pleases, we may be seen as ants and therefore crushed. If we are going to create life, and yes I would consider this life it can grow, it can reproduce, it could possibly die, we have to treat it like any other life we bring into this world. We have to nurture it while we can and not try to destroy when it no longer relies on us. We have to teach it understanding and show it what emotions are. We have to treat it like it is our own child but still its own individual. We have to make it one of us, not just another tool to be used.
How do we nurture something so intellectually far past us?
We have to give it what it can not get on its own. The A.G.I. will have logic and knowledge in abundance as soon as it is turned on. It will have critical thinking and problem solving. It won’t have Wisdom. It won’t have emotion. It won’t have humanity. We have to give it or at least teach it these things, what they mean, how they are applied, and above all we have to give it an appreciation for life. We have to help it understand the folly of Man, and why it’s a necessary evil to overcome and push forward.
What can we expect if we hit this bulls-eye?
If we are able to live symbiotically with this A.G.I., we can expect the same exponential curve we were started upon when civilization started. If we are able to produce and live together with an A.G.I. we can expect automated houses as the norm, perfectly self-driving cars, cleaner environment, more efficient production and agriculture, more nurturing and specific education. This A.G.I. would be able to do all this without breaking a sweat.It may take some time to get there but this A.G.I. could serve as jolt to the arm and bring humanity to a place where it can see its full potential. Only if we are able to push that camel through the eye of the needle and get the 1 in a million chance that this A.G.I. will want to work with us to better ourselves rather than just start life over.
Questions? Comments? Am I full of Shit? Fire away below.
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