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TIO · 07-29-2003, 11:27 PM

Sorry about the length of this. I got carried away. But I do think it is a very interesting point to ponder.

BACKGROUND: Emergent AI is a form of AI where you give your system a bare minimum of information and a learning algorithm, and let it do its own thing. A Neural Network is a computing system which attempts to emulate the workings of a human brain, and is usually programmed with an emergent AI. Typically, one has a set of inputs which are all connected to every one of a set of parallel processors, which are each in turn connected to every one of a set of outputs. There may or may not be a feedback loop.

Now consider this: Given a sufficiently fast computer, it is not unreasonable to believe (Terminator III-spawned misgivings aside) that an emergent AI with a very sophisticated learning algorithm may become self aware. From self awareness, it is a short leap to a machine with wants and desires, and from there, a machine with something akin to emotion. What do you think the ramifications of this would be to humans? If a machine could truly pass the most exhaustive turing test, and feel emotion, doesn't that take away a very great part of the uniqueness and specialness of life?

Bonus question: Suppose we created several of these simulated beings, and gave them the capacity to reproduce and die. We give them a simulated world to live on, and let them go. I'm certain the first million attempts would die of starvation or something, but let's assume at least one attempt at this experiment learns to survive. Let them run for a half million years...I'd be surprised if they didn't develop something very close to feudalism, or even democracy. But more importantly, what would be the implications of such a simulation developing a moral society? What if those morals were the same as our own? What if they weren't?
What if our sims became religious? What if that religion resembled one of our known ones? What if it didn't?

My point: If we could create a moral, religious society in the lab, would that signal the end of people thinking they were special?

07-29-2003, 11:27 PM	#1 (permalink)
TIO Addict Location: The Land Down Under	Emergent Artificial Intelligence Sorry about the length of this. I got carried away. But I do think it is a very interesting point to ponder. BACKGROUND: Emergent AI is a form of AI where you give your system a bare minimum of information and a learning algorithm, and let it do its own thing. A Neural Network is a computing system which attempts to emulate the workings of a human brain, and is usually programmed with an emergent AI. Typically, one has a set of inputs which are all connected to every one of a set of parallel processors, which are each in turn connected to every one of a set of outputs. There may or may not be a feedback loop. Now consider this: Given a sufficiently fast computer, it is not unreasonable to believe (Terminator III-spawned misgivings aside) that an emergent AI with a very sophisticated learning algorithm may become self aware. From self awareness, it is a short leap to a machine with wants and desires, and from there, a machine with something akin to emotion. What do you think the ramifications of this would be to humans? If a machine could truly pass the most exhaustive turing test, and feel emotion, doesn't that take away a very great part of the uniqueness and specialness of life? Bonus question: Suppose we created several of these simulated beings, and gave them the capacity to reproduce and die. We give them a simulated world to live on, and let them go. I'm certain the first million attempts would die of starvation or something, but let's assume at least one attempt at this experiment learns to survive. Let them run for a half million years...I'd be surprised if they didn't develop something very close to feudalism, or even democracy. But more importantly, what would be the implications of such a simulation developing a moral society? What if those morals were the same as our own? What if they weren't? What if our sims became religious? What if that religion resembled one of our known ones? What if it didn't? My point: If we could create a moral, religious society in the lab, would that signal the end of people thinking they were special? __________________ Strewth