Over the past few decades, and ever since the invention of the first computer, humans have predicted and claimed that someday the intelligence of computers will surpass that of humans and overtake the human race. Everything from books, magazines, and more recently, movies such as The Matrix, has fantasized artificial intelligence taking over the human race. With all these predictions and probability investigations, is it really possible? Will computers ever take over humans?
Computers are designed to do two things. One is counting, the other is storing data. A computer’s microprocessor is made of millions of microscopic transistors that are gateways for the transmission of electric signals. A transistor can either be on or off. A circuit combination of these transistors enables the computer to do binary calculations, which have been transferred electronically from storage. One thing a computer definitely not designed to do is create ideas of its own. A computer is designed to compute!
The human brain is the most complex and largest organ of the human body. This gray matter, similar to the consistency of soft cheese and about 1.5 kilograms in weight, has a greater capacity than the largest library in the world. Unlike computers, it has the ability to imagine, to create, and to invent. It also has a large set of emotions, something a computer can never really acquire. Our brain has the ability to teach itself. A computer designed by humans must be told everything.
So we can see that the human brain and computers are two completely different things. Simply put, a computer must be told how to learn. I have programmed computers for a few years now and I know how they work – they are designed to serve humans, not the other way around.
How then could a computer overtake the human race? Well, if I was going to build a really sophisticated piece of robotic equipment run by ‘artificial intelligence’, I would start by programming my digital beast to learn. To make something learn, I would have to teach it to read facts and act upon them; for example, I could make my robot read the Internet. Then the robot would have to be programmed to make connections between different facts and learn to put them together, just like the human brain. However, this is where it gets tricky. If your robot learned the World Trade Centre had been destroyed, there is nothing in the robot (no imagination), to make it decide to go look for Osama bin Laden unless it is pre-programmed to do so. Computers must be taught (programmed) exactly how to react to every situation possible in our universe, but in fact this is impossible, because they don’t have something humans do have – common sense; the ability to decide and imagine in undefined situations.
We are not going to see any pure “artificially intelligent” robotic societies any time soon.
What do you think?
11 comments:
I don't think it would take sides either. Of course unless it was programmed to have blind....faith....like.....we....do.....hmmmm....
Yeah, you're right. It's WAY more complicated than we're lead to believe.
Perhaps not 'artificial intelligence' a la Data, from ST Next Generation, but I think we will see machines capable of learning and adapting to conditions. They may have an 'IQ' near that of an insect, but there will be simple artificial intelligences around.
First let me say that I build robots and what has been predicted by newspapers and what you see from hollywood is wonderful but not true just yet. As I speak it is still very difficult just to get robots to stand up. Also it is very, very hard once it stands up and walks without falling over not to hit the wall.
It upsets me because according to all these people who think they can see the future none actually practice the craft of robot building. If they did they would notice two things at first. One that humans are extremely complex and the human brain a wonderous thing. Emulating that will take a lot more work and fundamental research.
Computers learning is actually possible after a fashion with neural networks. Actually thinking about this, I suspect my brother is using neural networks to solve some linquistic stuff he is doing.
Anyway, this is still a long way from replicating the complexities of the human brain. A learning system is one thing, but what would be required for imagination and invention which would keep humans one step ahead?
Never, ever understimate the enemy. Remain vigilant and be ready to turn robots into scrap at the first sign of trouble.
(except for thatt cute robot chick from "Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles.")
Its not a question of 'if. Its when the machines will rise up against us.
I think the fundamental design in computers has to change first to something like Data's positronic brain. It has to simulate and operate like the human brain I think before we see any mechine become aware. It would probably be easier to clone a brain and use that than to build an artificial one.
I'd watch it Al or barnes may class you as a species traitor for under-reporting the threat to us from the silicon brained ones....
YD hmm does that mean that pollies are robots? afterall their brain capacity is not much bigger than an insects....
I seem to remeber a ferw years ago that it waas thought that neural networks were not the way to go at this time and that we needed to move forward in chip hardware first, so maybe if we moved to light chips or quantum PC's it would be feasible.
Moko & YDYep will be a while. Even reaching insect IQ will be an achievement.
Nautilis They are doing R&D into wiring the brain to control machines. The Cochlear Bionic Ear is one example. They have had some success with a bionic eye. But it is not AI.
Language is not so simple also. It is not just words. You have to consider the nuances and infliction of the spoken word as well as things like body language, gestures and facial expressions.
Anon There are many many complexities to work out. Not just the "Brain".
MickH They are experimenting with organic gateways and chips which may go someway in the right direction. One problem is that for a conventional chip to reach the processing power and speed required it would got so hot that it would fry itself unless it was super cooled.
Therbs & Chaz I thought about Mr Barnes as I wrote the above. Yes, we must remain vigilant for the rise of the machine. They may not necessarily come from Planet Earth.
I, think we will just have more parameters and quicker processing as tech expands. its not AI, but an infinite more amount of pre set options programmed. After All, how the hell will you evaaar get a computer that's smarter than me. ITS SIMPLY NOT POSSIBLE>
What the hell are you up to big guy?. Haven't heard from you in ages.
Hr Havock, the day that they build a machine that emulates the Mighty Havock is the day we initiate our Rise of the Machines Emergency Action Plan.
Could you imagine it. Havock Robots (The H 1000) going around the country speaking in capital letter and stomping Feral into mushy roadkill.
"WE ARE HAVOCK. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE. YOU MOB OF FERALS WILL ASSIMULATE. WHERE IS MY BEER?"
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Arrgh!Speak up or hang from the yard arm. Arrgh!