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2/1/2022

Technology is advancing very fast. In the last 100 years we have gone from having human calculators, to super computers that can do around a quintillion calculations a second. This rate of growth does not seem to be slowing down. With this surge of technological advancement AI is also becoming more advanced, being able to have fluid conversations with humans, sense emotions and, adapt based off of experimentation to reach set goals. The Ted Talk by Sam Harris titled "Can We Build AI Without Losing Control Over It?", Discusses the time line by which humans will be able to create human level AI intelligence. It is shockingly predicted to occur within the next 50 years. Harris states that after human level intelligence is reached the AI's growth will become exponential. The AI being a computer would be able to do calculations about a million times faster than humans can, allowing it to do 20,000 years of human calculations in one week. This means that the computer would be so advance after one week that we could no longer control it. This would almost instantaneously make us subject to the computers motives and goals.
What are your thoughts on the predictions presented in the Ted Talk? Will AI super intelligence be the end of the human race? Do you think that as a human race we would be able to band together and decide on a set of morals to ingrain into the AI super intelligence if we had the choice? Can we even stop humans progression to super intelligent AI?

41 Comments

Micah Tolman

2/2/2022 02:12:34 am

AI such as Siri and Alexa are extremely helpful. It is impressive what scientists have been able to create. Though some scholars marvel at all the possibilities of Artificial Intelligence, many are skeptical; among them are Elon Musk and Stephen Hawking. Hawking recently advised that AI will be “either the best, or the worst, thing ever to happen to humanity.” To reassure us of its safety, Professor Nick Jennings from London states, “that while it’s possible to develop AI that excels in a singular task, creating AI that’s capable of human-like intelligence across multiple subjects isn’t within the ability of today’s scientists.” I think the greatest danger we face with AI is a loss of jobs; according to Andrew Mcafee from MIT, “the coming AI revolution will greatly speed up the rate of decline in the number of jobs, not only for middle-class workers, but for all workers.” This information encourages me to get an education because I want a secure job that robots won’t be able to take over, such as a management position.

Jonah

2/6/2022 10:39:47 am

Personally, I don’t think loss of jobs is a big problem. Though there are many unemployed people today, anywhere you go there are help wanted signs. So it’s not that we have a lack of jobs, it’s that we have a lack of work ethic.

Robyn Chaffin

2/6/2022 05:06:54 pm

There is definitely not a loss of jobs. There are people needing work everywhere, but nobody wants to work. I don’t think humans would allow AI to take over our life.

Dakota James

2/6/2022 02:40:06 pm

I struggle to believe that a robot can become smarter than a human in the sense of actually thinking. Clearly, computers are more efficient at doing calculations than humans, but they don’t have feelings. This makes me think that artificial intelligence would never be capable of holding a job like a real human. There would also be no purpose because the robot doesn’t need money and they would not be cost effective for employers.

Adyson

2/7/2022 10:59:29 am

I like the point you brought up about a computer not being able to do a job like a human does. I think it’s cool to think that we will always have an upper hand to technology.

Ele

2/6/2022 05:58:04 pm

While reading the prompt I also was thinking about the idea of robots taking jobs and becoming a new form of individual status. Allowing this would be very destructive to our future. Allowing these AI robots to make huge decisions for businesses, people, and even government and state events and jobs would be confusing. This could lead to many problems but also could uncover new ideas.

Adyson

2/7/2022 10:57:55 am

I feel that we need to take that into account when choosing our career paths, especially since as the years go on more and more technology will come out which could threaten our jobs.

Jonah

2/6/2022 11:09:47 am

In today’s fast-changing world, it’s not so much what you know anymore that counts. It is how fast you learn. Obviously, these robots can think pretty fast. If these robots are as smart as we say they are, they’ll probably make something that is smarter still. In any case, we should be wary, because at some point, what we think to be “milestones” can eventually become “millstones.” As far as morals go in regards to AI, I am not hopeful. As humans, we cannot even come together to agree on a set of morals for ourselves. You would think we should have to do that before we try and regulate something even smarter. Then the question of AI being the end of human life; It’s a fair question. It has been said that our downfall would be a global pandemic. Well, one of those came and went. We’re still kicking. So, onto the next thing, I guess.

Dakota James

2/6/2022 02:35:35 pm

I like your assertion that humans should be capable of setting morals and boundaries for themselves before attempting to monitor an even smarter machine. I also agree with you that AI isn’t what will end humanity. Ultimately it seems like another one of those controversial issues that society goes through with whether or not we should proceed with these type of studies. Are there things out there that humans are not supposed to know?

Carson Mildon

2/6/2022 03:14:33 pm

I agree that we should not try to control robots or AI technology when most governments can not even control their own people. I think this is a recipe for disaster. Humankind needs to be very careful with the possible future development of artificial intelligence.

Micah Tolman

2/6/2022 06:04:05 pm

Humans are always speculating. It would be quite ironic if humans created their own downfall.

Dakota James

2/6/2022 02:31:02 pm

As technology advances, there is generally a set purpose for it. Meaning that we create and develop new things that will ultimately benefit us in some way. This makes me wonder why the human race would create something so intelligent that it could possibly control us. If it is even possible to generate a form of technology that is presented in this TedTalk, I don’t understand the reasoning behind it. Why would we create something that has the potential to harm us or become dominant over us? Personally I do not believe we are capable of producing such powerful AI that could or would destroy the human race. However, it is interesting to think about what we can create with modern science.

Carson Mildon

2/6/2022 03:11:32 pm

No sane person would ever create this type of technology. However, that is the exact problem. Someone who wanted to make money or power could develop this technology and use it to their likeness.

Lizzie Nelson

2/6/2022 04:43:59 pm

We do have a lot of advanced technology and I do think at one point we may be looking at a robot apocalypse. However, it is fascinating how far we have come technology wise.

Carson Mildon

2/6/2022 03:09:45 pm

Many simple forms of AI are beneficial to humans. However, I do get scared at the idea of robots learning or teaching themselves. I do not think it would take long for robots to become more intelligent than humans, which is very dangerous. An AI apocalypse like we see in the movies could become a reality almost any day now.

Lizzie Nelson

2/6/2022 04:39:49 pm

I am with you that this is all scary! I’m just waiting for it to happen but until then I guess we have some cool technology to play with.

Robyn Chaffin

2/6/2022 05:13:40 pm

There are a lot of movies that depict this, a contrast to this is WALL·E. A robot that saves the human race from other robots. Of course it is fictional but if the world becomes so heavily reliant on artificial intelligence there would be some sort of a revolt.

Janessa

2/6/2022 06:41:38 pm

With this eventual reality, it would be interesting to see how much power would be given to AI. Would they have rights? Would it be immoral to kill them if they could think for themselves, process information like us, and understand emotions? We already see a lot of protests for minority groups, so I wonder if “AI’s are people too” would be one of them.

Nathan

2/6/2022 07:04:44 pm

There is definitely reason to be weary for the speed at which technology is improving. 50 years is a long time for technology to improve and that is still in our lifetime. It will be interesting to see the technology that emerges in our lifetime.

Boaz Oswald

2/6/2022 07:55:35 pm

It would be interesting to send an AI into a separate digital space that is on like Mars or something and see what it does. I would imagine that this is not simple at all and maybe even impossible but technology in the future is fun to think about.

Lizzie Nelson

2/6/2022 04:36:52 pm

Honestly, technology is kind of scary in a cool way! Throughout the years it is amazing to see what humans have come up with recently. AI is something that I don’t know very much about but it is very fascinating. I think that once robots got smart enough to they could take over the world. If humans allow for this to happen because of AI than really we are the dumb ones for doing that. I’m not sure if we will ever truly be able to control it but it’s worth a shot to try and figure it out.

Hailey

2/6/2022 06:01:47 pm

I agree that it seems unintelligent to create something smarter than ourselves, as we would then become subject to it. AI could certainly become smarter than mankind, and the thought of that is unsettling.

Kendra

2/6/2022 08:01:02 pm

Wouldn’t that be the craziest thing for humans to create their own demise? It’s odd to think about, especially since it seemed so futuristic as children.

Robyn Chaffin

2/6/2022 05:09:34 pm

Siri and Alexa have come a long way. It is amazing how advanced technology has become in such a short amount of time. I just don’t believe that if artificial intelligence began to interfere with our lives that people would allow it. There would be a revolt with technology.

Ele

2/6/2022 05:53:26 pm

I agree, there would definitely be a revolt. Siri and Alexa are good examples!

Micah Tolman

2/6/2022 06:03:20 pm

It seems weird to me that technology could possibly outsmart humans. If we sensed dangers arising, I suspect we could find ways to eliminate and/or control them as necessary.

Ele

2/6/2022 05:52:14 pm

We control what technology we use. The technology we use in our day to day life is constantly updating. New versions and models of improved tech has forced society to adapt. AI is a powerful thing. It is hard to imagine how it will be in even a few years. Even though there are many things that artificial intelligence could do, I don’t know if the outcome would be largely positive. The power it would hold could be very dangerous. Yet, this is a subject I do not know much about and it would be very cool to learn more.

Hailey

2/6/2022 06:00:36 pm

I agree that AI is very dangerous. I am afraid that, if developed, AI would be an invention that would result in a great amount of regret from the individuals that produce it; much like the atomic bomb.

Hailey

2/6/2022 05:58:53 pm

I do not support these extreme advances in technology. As Nathan mentioned, AI would gain tens of thousands of years worth of intelligence in a mere week, and humans would undoubtedly become subject to these computers. AI could not only outsmart the human race, but it could destroy it. I think this potential creation is dangerous and should not be developed. Even if a set of morals could be instilled within them, inventors would never be able to agree on every characteristic’s level of morality.

Jonah

2/6/2022 06:18:17 pm

I agree. I don’t think the positives outweigh the potential negatives by a wide enough margin to condone a production line.

Janessa

2/6/2022 06:37:56 pm

I would argue that technology has already “destroyed” the human race. Maybe not that drastic, but our smartphones and the internet and social media and online tracking and countless other technological advancements have greatly damaged us as social, empathic creatures. We have no privacy anymore as individuals.

Nathan

2/6/2022 07:10:54 pm

As humans keep developing self learning technology do you think that they could potentially stumble upon an intelligence that evolves its self and becomes out of control. I don’t know if it is possible to stop the progression of technology so I think that humans will eventually create the machine that evolves into AI super intelligence.

Janessa

2/6/2022 06:34:32 pm

I’ve grown up with many scientific-fantasy movies depicting the end of the world through technology, so this idea isn’t new to me. The same is likely for the computer scientists that are making these developments. While watching those movies was fun to joke that “this is what our future will become!”, I do believe they have served as a warning. While I had always assumed humans would develop AI technology as smart as us, I had expected it to take a while longer, so it is frightening to see some of the prophesies from those box office movies come true today. It is hard to say whether the technology we create will get out of hand and overcome us, though that is what every action movie claims. A part of me likes to believe that we will know the line not to cross when we see it, and if things do escalate we will be able to shut them down. After all, we brought the AI into this world, so we can take it out of it.

Boaz Oswald

2/6/2022 07:50:42 pm

That is one thing that is positive about the AI situation. It can only exist through human made software and hardware. Conceivably it would exist on the internet but if it does get out of hand than hopefully we as a people are strong enough to get rid of our oh so important and vital to existence internet. That actually sounds quite refreshing

Kendra

2/6/2022 07:59:29 pm

I loved watching these movies as a child. Whether it be the flying car in Back To The Future, or the talking robots in Wall-E, I’ve always been fascinated by the idea. I think a human race we should plan it out and decide how far we are willing to go.

Beth

2/6/2022 08:35:31 pm

I am not sure that if we were to bring it in we could necessarily take it out, but I definitely hope that it is true.

Boaz Oswald

2/6/2022 07:47:49 pm

I do not think that humans will be able to put some sort of restriction on any research and work that is put into creating dangerous AI. Everything is so polarized that there will inevitably be a never ending debate on what should happen while those who want to work on it just fiddle without restraint. I do think, though that there would have to be some sort of push towards this research. This push could be a country deciding to go rouge and put a lot of funding into the research which will cause other countries to start the research so they don't get left behind. I don't see this happening however unless a very unstable leader of a totalitarian government comes up and decides to ignore all else that is happening in their country. A more likely, in my opinion, option is some sort of World War. That is unless we don't nuke each other first. Nice things to think about

Kendra

2/6/2022 07:57:08 pm

I think that something like this AI intelligence that is being brought up is beneficial, but it also seems a little uncontrollable. We have had successes with it in the past, considering things like Alexa. It also comes with its set of concerns as well. First of all, if we had machines doing everything for us, we would likely become incredibly lazy and not very driven. Secondly, I think there is a point where it is too much. Whether it be too much to control, or just that the human race has gone too far with it. I’m not quite sure the pros outweigh the cons though. I think that we need to be incredibly careful with producing new technologies such as these.

Beth

2/6/2022 08:34:08 pm

There are definitely pros and cons to AI and I also believe that we need to proceed with caution when it comes to producing AI

Beth

2/6/2022 08:32:58 pm

In the video, the speaker compared our relationship with ants to our relationship with AI. We have more power and intelligence than ants. We don’t necessarily go out of our way to harm them, but if they are in our way for something like construction, we don’t flinch when we destroy their homes and colonies. This is hypothetically how AI could
come to think of us. If we make them more intelligent and give them more power than we have, who is to say what they will and will not do. Especially if they do not have the same emotional responses as us.

Adyson

2/7/2022 10:56:01 am

Technology has brought us many amazing things over the years such as new healthcare, safer cars, and new ways we can understand our universe. Although I feel as though it is not possible for a robot or any technology to become smarter than a human. The point I being to back this up is that technology does not have the power or understanding of emotions. While it may be smarter in mathematics or quick calculations, it is not possible for a robot to truly understand how and why emotions work the way they do.

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