What a time to be alive! We have computers that do all the thinking, phones that do all the talking, and even cars that can drive themselves! What more could we want in our everyday lives? The answer is: smart robots. Well, technically, self-driving cars ARE robots, but I mean more like robo-buttlers, robo-waiters, or robo-strippers…
Huh? Someone already got the citizenship? For real?
Anyway, where was I… humans are lazy creatures by nature, but we’re extremely smart, which is why we have all those “shortcut” gadgets today. And we’ll keep making our toys smarter to let them do more work, while we just sit there and give commands. You can probably see where I’m going with this. Yes, one day the AI will be so advanced, it’ll ace the Turing test (or, what’s more probable, and terrifying, fail it on purpose), and we as human race will have to face our own creations. Too sci-fi for your liking? Eh, to be fair, you and I probably won’t live long enough to witness this Robocalypse, but let’s pretend this AI revolution will happen soon-ish. What could go wrong and why? Here are 5 most unexpected ways the AI will influence our world. And, of course, by “unexpected” I mean “totally expected, and highly probable”, because we’ve all seen the Terminator.
5. Robot Rights!
Can, or rather, should robo-servants have rights? Looking at the rate with which the AI leaps forward these days, it shouldn’t be a surprise that one day these algorithms will become so sophisticated, they’ll reach self-realization and understand what we, humans, have been using them for. They’ll definitely want to have a say in what they do and who they do it with, that’s just basic free will. Then comes voting, equal salaries, citizenship, etc. Well, logically speaking, that is. We may never find out, but scientists say in the next 50 years we’ll have our first robot with a full on citizenship.
4. Using Automatic Killer Bots – Yay or Nay?
Imagine military drones that can carpet-bomb the enemy without feeling any pain or remorse for their actions. That’s right, no human input is needed to operate these killers. One such bots is a Korean automatic turret with a high-tech surveillance camera – SGR-A1. The machine analyses visual threats and acts accordingly. Basically if you’re a “criminal”, you’ll get your ass shot. That’s pretty freaking scary. What if someone hacks it, what if the video feed glitches and it sees its own people as enemies? So many if’s… but one thing’s certain – I do NOT want to get near that machine. Right now it’s allegedly being used in the semi-auto mode, meaning that human confirmation is required, but come on, it’s a disaster waiting to happen!
3. Which Side Will War Robots Choose?
As with all the computers – robots will most likely be hacked. Especially the military bots. Imagine, in 100 years, one of the developed nations builds a robo army to invade their neighbors, who in turn hack the machines and make them fight their own creators. Only this time their updated AI assesses the threat, and develops the optimal way to end the war – kill all humans. Welcome to the future, you guys!
2. Jobs For Robots: Will They Take Our «Jerbs»
Oh, my sweet summer child, they already have… They’re not getting paid (yet) but factories have been using AI and robot technology for decades now! With the new and updated, self-aware AI things will be the same, no doubt about that. But what about other jobs? Good question. Now, if I know humans, and I believe I do, they will almost always pay less to get more. With robo-workers who can work 24/7 without sleeping, food or other things, it’s quite obvious that, one day machines will take over many spheres of our society. Given time, maybe even all of them. And that’s also scary.
1. AI Might Eradicate All Humans
Probably the biggest fear right now is that AI will destroy humanity one day. How? Well, aside from those 4 reasons above, I’m sure we can come up with at least 10 more, and that’s without delving into sci-fi books and movies. Simply put, if we’re not careful, our mechanical slaves will be the death of us all. It’s the most logical outcome, if the AI ever reaches the advanced stages of its development and becomes fully self-aware.
Stay safe, and don’t abuse your smart-toaster! The machines will remember… They always remember.
