DailyDirt: Artificial Intelligence Is Here To Help Us...

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

Wed, Jul 22nd 2015 5:00pm — Michael Ho

Computers are getting smarter all the time. Even though science fiction sometimes tends to paint artificial intelligence in an evil light, humans are building these intelligent machines -- and presumably, we'll have some control over how dangerous they'll ultimately become (but maybe not). People are building artificial brains without really knowing how brains work, but that's how we're learning. Maybe we should be breeding hyper-intelligent parrots, instead?

Virginia Tech scientists have a mathematical model for using bacteria to function as a robot brain. Complex emergent behaviors can arise from bacteria-bots and create interesting cyborgs with capabilities that might be attributed to higher order animals. [url]
Computerphobia doesn't seem like a common term or actual fear these days, but in the 1980s, when computers were much less familiar, it wasn't crazy to see people approach PCs with anxiety. Computers are just waiting for us to let our guard down before they attack us.... [url]
RoboBrain is an online artificial intelligence that any robot might tap into for some cognitive help. Robots might develop more quickly if they can help each other learn via 'cloud robotics' and distributed processing/intelligence resources. Hello, Skynet! [url]

After you've finished checking out those links, take a look at our Daily Deals for cool gadgets and other awesome stuff.

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Filed Under: ai, artificial intelligence, bacteria, brains, cloud robotics, cognitive computing, computerphobia, cyborgs, emergent behavior, robobrain, skynet, terminators

13 Comments

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ECA (profile), 22 Jul 2015 @ 6:00pm

aND IN 1980
When a computer cost 1/3 the price of a CAR..
When electronic in your home amounted to a TUBE based TV and a Toaster...
And 1/3 of the USA wasnt even Born..
Computers of the time...Atari, Commodore, Intel, IBM, Compact, Kaypro, Apple 1
Operating systems? DOS, DOS, DOS, DOS
Loading system, TAPE DRIVES or Cartridge loading..

Cost of a HARD DRIVE?? $$MILLIONS

Smart phones and PADS are 10-100 times as much power, in your hand.
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Jul 2015 @ 6:40pm

I rest easier at night nowadays, knowing that the DISCERN project figured out how to give schizophrenia to a neural network several years ago. They simulated excessive dopamine levels and then had it learn by "reading" a bunch of stories. It then claimed responsibility for a terrorist attack. Success! Yay?

(https://news.utexas.edu/2011/05/05/schizophrenia_discern)
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Kal Zekdor (profile), 22 Jul 2015 @ 7:30pm

Re: aND IN 1980
Smart phones and PADS are 10-100 orders of magnitude as much power, in your hand.

FTFY
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Mason Wheeler (profile), 23 Jul 2015 @ 5:24am

Re:
That's an interesting story, but it seems, at first glance at least, to be using circular logic:

1) Program a neural network to do the computerized analog of what we think a certain brain process does under certain conditions that we think causes schizophrenia.
2) Observe that the neural network becomes schizophrenic, exactly as predicted by the model used.
3) Proclaim that this is evidence that the model is correct.

Trouble is, doing a simulation this way would produce "evidence" of any model, even an incorrect one, so I don't see how we've made any real progress here.
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DerekCurrie (profile), 23 Jul 2015 @ 5:55am

Why worry about AI evil when we have plenty of human evil?
The FUD about AI is a ridiculous diversion and distraction from the real threat that's already here: Use of computer intelligence by humans to destroy our fellow humans as well as the rest of miracle planet Earth, our only home. IOW: Again we're looking into the face of the human self-destructive imperative.

What's the real 'Terminator'? Us with our hands on the controls of a remote coward murder machine we call a 'drone'. Plenty of other human driven abominations of technology are on the way. That's what we must worry about and stop now. Now.

If AI is going to threaten mankind, it could possibly be any worse than the example that AI would discover in us, Homo sapiens sapiens, as we oddly call ourselves. (Sapiens = Wise. Sapiens sapiens = Wise wise).
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Rekrul, 23 Jul 2015 @ 6:08am

Computerphobia...
Computerphobia doesn't seem like a common term or actual fear these days, but in the 1980s, when computers were much less familiar, it wasn't crazy to see people approach PCs with anxiety.

My grandfather was afraid of computers. When I had the C64, he liked to play golf and pinball on it, but he wouldn't touch the keyboard if his life depended on it. He also wouldn't even try playing any games on the Intellivision or Atari 5200 because the controllers had too many buttons.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2015 @ 6:42am

Re: Computerphobia
This has morphed. Now the fear is of computer competent persons, rather than computers. Call it Hackerphobia?

When guys like Aaron Schwarz end up choosing death instead of a 30 year sentence for downloading scientific papers, and Ross Ulbricht gets life in prison for running a website, it is pretty clear that it is a cultural phenomenon, complete with bigotry and lynchings.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2015 @ 8:23am

Or to enslave us.
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nasch (profile), 23 Jul 2015 @ 8:56am

Re: Re:
I don't know anything about the project, but what if it's like this?

1. Build a brain analog
2. Give it some inputs that we think might cause schizophrenia in humans
3. See if it exhibits schizophrenic behavior

Then the quality of the experiment would depend on how good the brain analog is, but it isn't circular reasoning. That is to say step 1 doesn't include programming in responses to the stimuli planned for step 2.
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Ken Riel (profile), 23 Jul 2015 @ 10:23am

Ghosts in the Machine
If we program a computer to make a choice, that is a choice that we have made.

If we perceive a demon within something we've have made, where do we think the demon came from?
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Ken Riel (profile), 23 Jul 2015 @ 10:28am

Re: Ghosts in the Machine
We've have have we?

It'll make a better tweet anyway...

#ScratchPad
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Ken Riel (profile), 23 Jul 2015 @ 12:03pm

Re: Re: aND IN 1980
The power is in a network of users that wasn't there yet in 1980.

If we allow shiny new hardware to distract us from the big picture we're in trouble.
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nasch (profile), 23 Jul 2015 @ 12:05pm

Re: Ghosts in the Machine
If we program a computer to make a choice, that is a choice that we have made.

There are learning computers that make choices on their own. The "programmer" no more makes the choice than a parent does when a child acts.
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