# Is artificial intelligence dangerous or not?



## ClosedAccount200

What do we think about the future, when it comes to AI? Yes, it’s going to change our lives for the better. But do we exactly know how Artificial Intelligence works with people? And does AI remain safe? I’ll try to give a short clear.

AI is smarter than any human on earth and ultimately smarter than all humans on the planet. The theoretical physicist Stephen Halking has warned that AI could spell the end of the human race, but it’s highly unlikely. 

The key danger of AI is not that it’s going to rebel against us if that is going to do exactly what we ask it to do. AI won’t be able to avoid destroying humankind, this is because it will be programmed by humans to pursue misguided human goals.
It’s really easy to give AI the wrong problem to solve and often we don’t realize that until something has gone wrong.

Let’s take the example of Tesla. There was a fatal accident when somebody was using Tesla’s autopilot AI. Instead of using it on the highway like it was designed for, they used it on city streets. And what happened? 
AI didn’t recognize a truck in front of the car. Sure, AI was trained to recognize trucks and pictures but what it looks like happened is the AI was trained to recognize trucks on the highway driving where you would expect to see trucks from behind, not on the side. So when the AI saw the truck, it looks like the AI recognized it as a road sign.
As we see, it’s very difficult to design an AI that can understand what it’s looking at and this is why designing the image recognition in self-driving cars is so hard, AI gets confused.
Due to AI researcher Janelle Shane, when AI isn’t able to solve human problems - like creating an ice-cream or recognizing a picture - cause it doesn’t measure up to real brains.
To be sure, we are going in the right direction with AI, we should ask ourselves for what goal we want to use super intelligence and learn how to cooperate with it to avoid problems and bad consequences. Artificial intelligence is not super competent to know everything, but it helps people to create new inventions.


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## 2twenty2

You mean something like the Terminator


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## Cookiegal

As this is not tech-related news I've moved it to the Controversial Topics forum.


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## Johnny b

> What do we think about the future, when it comes to AI? Yes, it's going to change our lives for the better. But do we exactly know how Artificial Intelligence works with people? And does AI remain safe?


It all depends on the code and directives an AI is built upon.

Code written to do evil things will be that.
Code written to be constructive will be that.
Let AI write it's own code, there will still be bias from the human coder.

It all depends upon what humans decide to do with it and what humans want from it..

Being non-human, AI has no rights.
Being inanimate, AI can't be killed in the biological sense.

When/if an AI disagrees with intent. Turn it off and reprogram.
When/if an AI goes rogue, pull the plug.

I suspect a lot of jobs will be lost to AI.
From the factory worker ( many factories have already been robotized) to the office worker and even the software coder.


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## Officer Dibble

_There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home._- Ken Olsen, 1977

_We will never make a 32-bit operating system._- Bill Gates, 1989

It fascinates me when people make predictions about fields that are by design destined to be greater than they are currently.

How many accidents have there been with A.I. operated cars while ineptly supervised by a human? All the current A.I. technologists have the noblest of intentions, and currently they hold the keys to how that technology is used. What about 10, 20, 30 years down the line when A.I., in whatever form it has "surprisingly" been progressed to, is likely just an SDK or Class in a programming language, a programming language any mischievous teenager, or political protest group could use? Will we have Anti-A.I. software/devices installed in our homes, schools, and cities?

It's not a case of whether we can trust A.I. Can we trust humans?


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## Johnny b

Officer Dibble said:


> .......................
> 
> It's not a case of whether we can trust A.I. Can we trust humans?


Mostly.
It all depends upon what humans decide to do with it and what humans want from it.

Can we trust humans?

( LOL. That was a rhetorical question? The last 4 years in the US says 'No'. )


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## BlackFrancis

I tend to fall into the Ted Kaczynski camp. Every technological progression is bad. 
The original post states that AI will make our lives better. We have pseudo AI already for over a decade and I want to know exactly how it's improved our lives. Improvement and the introduction of convenience/pleasure fulfillment aren't the same thing. "Improvements" in this definition seem to only free up humans to do stupid crap in the search for fulfillment of the things they used to do before that "improvement" came along. Like hunting or having physical relationships with each other.

The idea that AI can be defined as dangerous to humanity if bad people use it is assuming that there's a one-way causal interaction between people and the machine/code. AI will "code" us a lot more than we will code it.

Probably not my most coherent post in my history on the Internet, but I've hit the wall of my comprehension skills.


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## Johnny b

BlackFrancis said:


> ....................... We have pseudo AI already for over a decade and I want to know exactly how it's improved our lives.


There are upsides and downsides.

A short list of positives:

Medicine for one. ( a wide range from genetics to vaccines )
Better access to information by electronic means.
More efficient transportation.
Improvements in agriculture ( from genetics to practices )
More efficient homes.

I think efficiencies and security in software coding will advance.


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## BlackFrancis

Fair points that I can only reject on a philosophical basis.



Johnny b said:


> I think efficiencies and security in software coding will advance.


This is one issue that bugs me. Bad actors are always catching up with those advancements, even sometimes finding Zero Day exploits. It's a cat and mouse game that will continue for eternity, leaving behind the average person.

Today I have to remember (or write down) several different things to access my banking digitally and have to keep my debit card in an RF-blocking book. Tomorrow I won't have cash and will have to surrender my biometric data which can be "hacked" anyway.
Yesterday, if you tried to take my money you must come to my home and I shoot you in the face. You can say that maybe you'll shoot me first, but at least I stood a chance.

This principal is replicated everywhere.


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## Johnny b

BlackFrancis said:


> Fair points that I can only reject on a philosophical basis.
> 
> This is one issue that bugs me. Bad actors are always catching up with those advancements, even sometimes finding Zero Day exploits. It's a cat and mouse game that will continue for eternity, leaving behind the average person.
> 
> Today I have to remember (or write down) several different things to access my banking digitally and have to keep my debit card in an RF-blocking book. Tomorrow I won't have cash and will have to surrender my biometric data which can be "hacked" anyway.
> Yesterday, if you tried to take my money you must come to my home and I shoot you in the face. You can say that maybe you'll shoot me first, but at least I stood a chance.
> 
> This principal is replicated everywhere.


Yeah, bad actors.
Be it bow and arrows, or knives and spears, or the tech generated by a computer, it's the malevolent intent of the few that will always be with us.


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## Johnny b

Hello EjjiaMAu and welcome to TSG 

I agree.
I like pragmatism.....the wise use of a powerful tool. Not just blind conversion to something new.


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## RT

As *DmitryBit* mentioned his first post here, even Stephen Hawking has misgivings about AI.
I sort of have a doubt, too.
But in MHO, there's a man that thinks a lot about all kinds of things.

Granted there's no stopping technology as it evolves and developes, but it also reminds me of a semi -quote from Jurassic Park, where it was said that scientists may be so consumed with the fact they can do something, perhaps they didn't stop to think whether they should.

I'm the dinosaur on the board with a desktop and likely the only one alive with no smart phone, so my remarks will mean little.
But it's an interesting thread, glad to see different takes on AI.

To sum up, it's rather cool and rather frightening.


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## Johnny b

RT said:


> .................
> 
> I'm the dinosaur on the board with a desktop and likely the only one alive with no smart phone, so my remarks will mean little.
> .................
> 
> To sum up, it's rather cool and rather frightening.


lol...you're not the only dinosaur at TSG 
No smart phone here....I use a flip phone 'by the minute'.
My TV is 'stupid' and wears rabbit ears with tinfoil appendages.

Yes, cool with the imaginary potential of becoming a horror show 'Terminator' style.

But, imo, your opinion and mine are important, probably more so because we're not tech fanboys.
More like old codger pragmatists lol.

We look to what the tech offers with reservations built on the wisdom and experiences learned from what not to do. again lol.

Have a good one, RT


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## Cookiegal

This thread was started by a spammer so since there is an ongoing discussion I've just changed the name and closed the account so the discussion can continue rather than spaminating them as we normally would which would delete the thread.


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## Wino

I'm more afraid of human intelligence or lack thereof, than AI.😤


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## RT

Wino said:


> I'm more afraid of human intelligence or lack thereof, than AI.


Wino said it best right there! 



Johnny b said:


> We look to what the tech offers with reservations built on the wisdom and experiences learned from what not to do. again lol.


John, hate to bust your bubble, I'm not much wiser with age and one of those who, while painfully aware that experience is the best teacher, still makes the same mistakes again far too often!
Well, not really speaking of tech, _per se_, there either


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## Johnny b

But....but.....is it a mistake if you really want to do it again.... and again?
Or just a bad habit....


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## RT

Fine line between habit, vice and addiction.
It's a mistake when you're perfectly aware than what you do over and over again harms your health. Want to or not.
Likely addicted to cigarettes...though I've known folks that smoke more than me quit (with hardship and maddenly struggling and suffering to get through it.)
And sometimes, somehow, resumed smoking.

While this thread is supposed to be about AI, there are times when I could use some
 :


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## Cookiegal

Wino said:


> I'm more afraid of human intelligence or lack thereof, than AI


You and me both.


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## RT

Cookiegal said:


> You and me both.


*That* @Wino is Cookiegal's version of clicking the "like" button


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## Cookiegal

RT said:


> is Cookiegal's version of clicking the "like" button


Hey, we're not on Facebook here!


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## RT

Quite right!
This TSG type thingy is better, IMHO


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## Johnny b

RT said:


> Fine line between habit, vice and addiction.
> It's a mistake when you're perfectly aware than what you do over and over again harms your health. Want to or not.
> Likely addicted to cigarettes...though I've known folks that smoke more than me quit (with hardship and maddenly struggling and suffering to get through it.)
> And sometimes, somehow, resumed smoking.
> 
> While this thread is supposed to be about AI, there are times when I could use some
> :


You took me way too seriously------> the lol.
And I used 'bad' as a generality.

But seriously, imo, that fine line isn't so narrow.
When want becomes a need, a habit becomes an addiction, but it's still a habit. ( but don't limit the concept to only substance abuse )

And there in lies the difference with machine logic.
It doesn't rationalize a want into a need.
It recognizes need through comparisons.
The want is a human desire.

Programming formulates acceptance ( solutions ).

If AI is to be added, how is it taught the morals and ethics to determine whether repetition is a want or a need? Or the traits of any singular action?
Not everyone's wants and needs are the same.
Variation comes about from differences in one's life experiences.

With AI, programming will be the 'teacher' rather than 'experiences' and bias enters by way of the programmer's initial code.

Of course, those are my opinions and you may 'want' a second opinion lol.


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## Johnny b

Something to think about when considering a future in the workforce.

* Automation will erase 'knowledge jobs' before most blue collar jobs: Future Today Institute CEO *
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/know...ion-future-today-institute-ceo-142916249.html


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## Wino

Ironic, to say the least, considering execs have been screwing workers forever trying to find a way to replace them whilst still making lots of money.  Our schools (at least in my area) have dropped trades/shop from curriculum - plumbers, mechanics of any nature, electricians et al shall rule the world!!


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## Johnny b

The trades have been under rated for quite a while.
I've known guys that made good livings that way.

A friend from high school made a good living as a certified welder.
There'll always be a need for skills like that.


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## Johnny b

Cognizant said:


> I'm not afraid of artificial intelligence at all, somehow. Perhaps because I used to work as a C++ programmer and realize how stupid hardware is😄


Two birds with one stone. 

A future were AI codes itself and engineers new hardware.


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## Johnny b

Cognizant said:


> And the planet Earth turns into... well... tetris!!! A small group of survivors enters a secret code into the AI central computer and ... unlocks new games ahahahha


<yawn>


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## Johnny b

LOL....did an AI just eliminate a member?


Oh my goodness


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