Beware the Newts!
We are here because you wanted us. You have distributed us over the entire world. Now you have us.
A seemingly unlikely duo, amphibians and artificial intelligence (AI) share a mesmerizing connection in Karel Čapek’s timeless sci-fi novel “The War with the Newts”. Known best for coining the term “robot” in his play R.U.R., Čapek authored the satirical dystopian work in 1936 to highlight the potential perils of unrestrained technological advancement when met with distrusting and competitive human systems. Lessons that remains strikingly relevant nearly a century later.
“The War with the Newts”, is told through the mixed medium of primary sources, stories, news clippings and interviews. Through it, Čapek chronicles the tale of an intelligent species of newts discovered by humans and exploited for labor capabilities. The newts rapidly learn and adapt from their human masters. Their unique skills become so valuable that harnessing and enhancing the newts becomes a competitive imperative. As the newts gain knowledge and independence, they begin to develop their own culture, technology, and ambitions. This newfound autonomy eventually leads to conflict with humans, resulting in newt dominance after a one-sided struggle. Amidst our current advancements in AI, the story’s themes and lessons are clear: Unrestrained technology, coupled with our competitive nature, can lead towards a disastrous future.
2- The Rise of the Newts: Intelligent and Adaptable
The Talking Newt became the sensation of London Zoo. Andy was the darling of the crowds that surrounded him and wanted to talk to him on every possible subject, starting with the weather and finishing with the economic crisis and the political situation. At the same time he was given so much chocolate and sweets by his visitors that he became seriously ill in his gastro-intestinal tract. In the end the newt section had to be closed down, but it was already too late; Andrias Scheuchzeri, known as Andy, died as a result of his popularity, showing that even newts can be corrupted by fame.
Book 1, Chapter 9 — ANDREW SCHEUCHZER
The extraordinary intelligence and adaptability of the newts in Čapek’s novel deserve further exploration. Initially discovered and exploited by humans for labor, the newts quickly absorbed knowledge from their human masters, adapting seamlessly to their new environment. These amphibians, being biologically distinct from humans, had far fewer needs and wants, excelling in engineering tasks humans would find challenging.
With inherent biological and cognitive differences, the newts were absolutely different from humanity. Since Newts did not rear their young, they lacked the concepts of empathy and play. Being semiaquatic, newts inhabited fundamentally different ecosystems with inconeiveably different systems of thought an perception. In a striking parallel, AI possesses many overwhelming advantages without any traits inhereted from biology. AI systems can process and analyze vast amounts of data at incredible speeds, identify patterns and trends that would elude human understanding, and learn and adapt to new information far more quickly than humans. This inherent difference in capabilities highlights the potential of AI to revolutionize various aspects of our society.
To further exploit the Newts, exposure to human society and technology was required, eventually resulting in Newt culture, technology, and ambitions. AI technology has a similar potential to develop into novel and unpredictable manifestations. In the same way the newts’ impact was logical yet unpredictable, AI holds unprecedented potential to surpass human intelligence and reshape society. We are facing equally likely futures of either abundance or absolute scarcity
The Promise of Progress
So now we see the newts on the way to their greatest flowering; but the world of human beings, too, was enjoying unprecedented prosperity. New continents were planned out with great enthusiasm, shallow waters were converted to dry land, and artificial islands appeared in the middle of the oceans… The newts worked tirelessly in all the seas and on the edge of all the continents for as long as the night lasted; they seemed contented and asked for nothing for themselves.
Book 2, Chapter 2 — THE RISE OF CIVILISATION (History of the Newts)
Initially, the newts were perceived as a source of profit and progress. Employed for labor-intensive tasks, humanity enjoyed marvelous prosperity and technological marvels. Nations using newts experienced unparalleled economic and technological growth, sparking a global race of exploitation. As valuable and expansive creatures, the propagation of newts was inevitable. The rapid expansion and the subsequent reliance on newts sowed the seeds for an inevitable and unforeseen conclusion. Similarly, in the current technological landscape, we witness companies and nations competing to develop and implement AI systems, creating a race for AI dominance that could potentially lead to negative consequences if left unchecked.
The nations of the novel saw this at first and tried to control the newts. They then tried to set standards for how all nations used newts. However, distrust, competition, and the advantages of the newts made cooperation impossible. The nations strove to outdo one another, allowing ambition to override ethical and safety concerns. This competitive environment led to a slippery slope where each nation pushed the boundaries, disregarding potential risks.
We are already in the middle of an industry shift as corporations pause hiring for thousands of jobs they suspect AI can do. We can’t begin to comprehend the extent of economic growth and productivity we will see. Our current corporate race for AI dominance resembles the competition among nations in the novel. Businesses face immense pressure to adopt AI or risk being outpaced by competitors. It’s important to recognize that AI technology also holds the potential to greatly improve various aspects of society, such as advancing healthcare through more accurate diagnoses, enhancing transportation through autonomous vehicles, and optimizing energy consumption to reduce our environmental impact. But responsibly harnessing the power of AI, is a goal that we must work towards together. A future where technology serves to improve our collective well-being, is not guaranteed.
The War with the Newts
Hello you people! Remain calm. We wish you no harm. We merely need more water, in which to live. For this reason we need to demolish your continents. We wish you no harm, but there are too many of us. You will be free to migrate inland. You will not be prevented from fleeing to the hills. The hills will be the last to be demolished. Hello you people, Chief Salamander, in the name of all newts everywhere, offers collaboration with you. You will collaborate with us in the demolition of your world. Thank you.
Book 3, Chapter 8 - CHIEF SALAMANDER MAKES HIS DEMANDS
The rise of Newt autonomy resulted from humans relying on them for increasingly complex tasks. As they were educated to meet these demands, the newts began developing personal desires and aspirations, eventually leading them to conflict with humanity. However, it’s crucial to understand that their conflict wasn’t driven by a rebellion of spirit or value. The newts simply sought expansion beyond the constraints imposed by humanity, driven by their unique value systems and motivations. The “war” in the story was an indifferent and unstoppable expansion of shallow ocean over all habilital land. Resulting in a few surviving humans who inhabited only the peaks of what once were the tallest mountains.
Powerful and indifferent systems can be as threatening as malicious ones. As technology advances, capability driven by profit motive will result in autonomous and intelligent systems. “War” might not even be an outcome. As more autonomy is granted to systems, the risk of losing control increases. These ruthless and uncaring systems can cause significant harm to humanity through more subtle and unexciting means.
Algorithms are already designed to optimize specific goals, sometimes without considering broader implications. To cite the famous example, an AI system designed to maximize paperclips might lead to the consumption of everything in order to achieve it’s goal of paperclip maximization. In recent years, we have seen instances of AI systems causing unintended harm, such as biased hiring algorithms that discriminate against certain demographic groups or facial recognition systems that disproportionately identify people of color.
Despite the devastation, there is a ray of bittersweet hope. The newts did not eradicate all of humanity and eventually, as we taught them, fell to infighting themselves. From the novel’s example, we can learn to avoid such extreme outcomes by carefully considering the total implications of developing systems with different (or similar) value systems and drives. By being mindful of the potential consequences, we can work towards a future where technology serves humanity’s best interests, rather than becoming an indifferent force with the power to cause harm.
Our Fate?
It is what the people wanted, don’t forget; they all wanted to have newts, they wanted commerce, industry and technology, civil and military authorities they all wanted it; it’s all of our faults.
Book 3— Chapter 11, The Author Talks to Himself
The novel serves as an unambiguous cautionary tale about the dangers of competitively wielding unchecked technological advancements but that’s where realty diverges from storybooks. We, like the world of the Newts, exist in a competitive ecosystem with mandatory AI adoption but unlike the newts we have 85 years of warnings and technological advancement. Use of the newts in Capek’s novel are restricted to only the most powerful and organized nations, those who had the resources to use the newts. At the time of writing, AI does not seem like it has any such moat. Like the internet before it, it appears that runaway AI will result in ubiquitous access at low cost. After-all, open source Newts weren’t included in Čapek’s world.
This calls for a collaborative and incentivized approach to AI development that involves stakeholders across all of society, not just industry experts and thinkers. By ensuring that AI technologies are developed and deployed responsibly, we can avoid the competitive pitfalls illustrated in the novel. To achieve this goal, it’s crucial to foster intersociety collaboration in AI development and focus beyond competition.
Powerful and intelligent systems are seemingly inevitable. The novel teaches that greed and competition pair with these powerful systems to cause disastrous outcomes. Ultimately the novel is a warning about these runaway systems, runaway systems treating us as we treat each other. If we build systems towards ruthless and competitive exploitation, we shouldn’t expect any other outcome. With the AI boon of productivity, we’re about to build a brave new future and luckily, we have the tools and awareness to ensure it’s bright.
