Robots Take Over the World; But is that Necessarily a Bad Thing?
Artificial Intelligence is perhaps hundreds of years away, and yet people everywhere still argue about A.I. like it is right here on our doorstep. I, for one, would love to have a robot that is completely capable of acting on its own. The thought of having a computer that can make me breakfast, lunch, and dinner is quite enticing (although that could be due to my extreme laziness). But you see, while an artificially intelligent being would be convenient, it could also be potentially damning. I fear that when A.I. becomes a reality, we might solely rely on the advanced technology for everything. What might happen when you cannot even tie your own shoes by yourself. Intelligence beautiful, but a lack of intelligence is possibly the worst thing imaginable. I do not fear A.I.’s because they have the ability destroy the earth, I fear them because they have the ability to decimate the mind.
While artificial intelligence could possibly destroy the mind, it also has the potential to heal the soul. Judith Newman, a mother of two, has a child with autism, and she quickly realized that the advancement in technology might actually be the answer to her prayers. Her son, Gus, has trouble reading social situations, just like the vast majority of children with autism. However, with the use of Siri, one of the closest things to an A.I. unit we have, Gus is able to learn how to converse. Newman says, “My son’s practice conversation with Siri is translating into more facility with actual humans.” For people like Gus, Artificial intelligence could prove itself to be a great help to those with disabilities.
Ted Chiang on the other hand proposes that Artificial Intelligence is not an attainable goal, but a reflection of todays capitalism. Yes it may seem like a stretch at first, but when you compare the two, they might not seem that different at all. Chiang appeals to the people who believe that A.I.’s will somehow destroy the world. He sees the A.I. stopping at nothing to attain his goal, which inevitably brings him to the realization that big companies today are doing just that too. He says that “capitalism actively erodes this capacity in people by demanding that they replace their own judgment of what “good” means with “whatever the market decides”,” and later says that the big businesses will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. Ultimately Chiang wants capitalists to look at themselves and ask, is what I’m doing the best for me, or the best for everyone?
