Automation and Artificial Intelligence - Is It The Future?
Day by day, scientists and researchers are advancing artificial intelligence. Google made the news when it's DeepMind AI beat one of the world's highest ranked Go players Lee Sedol in March 2016. But it didn't stop there: in 2017 it again made the news by beating the world's top Go player Ke Jie. It was announced that DeepMind was retiring from Go, instead it would focus on more scientific endeavors. It would focus on curing diseases, reducing the energy consumption, and more.
If an AI could actually help in discovering new strategies and knowledge that could help us advance our technology, than the possibilities would be absolutely endless. But everything is not so simple.
A lot more research and testing is still required until we get to that point but till then, let's focus on a bit more "modest" goals. Like automation!
It is no secret that AI is beating humans in a number of tasks, some of which require the use of cognitive abilities. They have a relatively higher degree of precision and can be used in manufacturing. Using robots instead of human laborers is no doubt beneficial for the companies due to a few reasons. They don't have to pay the robots to do the work, they get better precision which means a better produced product, and it eliminates the factor of human error. A smaller benefit would be that no one gets injured at the workplace because well... no one works there anymore. Except for the robots, that is.
According to this paper, experts believe that the AI could potentially leave humans behind in translating languages (by 2024),
writing high-school essays (by 2026), driving a truck (by 2027), working in retail (by 2031), and writing a bestselling book (by 2049). It is also stated that AI might be able to perform surgeries by 2053.
There are some reservations about automation and this whole artificial intelligence thing in general and I think that people have every right to be concerned.
Elon Musk has also suggested the nightmarish scenarios where artificial intelligence could truly be catastrophic. His non-profit OpenAI aims to ensure that artificial intelligence is used exclusively for the good of humanity. Not only him, but a majority of tech giants and visionaries have expressed the same views. Musk and about 20,000 other tech industry experts signed this open letter a while back which illustrates the potentially dangerous use of AI in armed warfare and how it should be ensured that AI is only used for the common good of humanity.
In an AMA, Bill Gates stated
First the machines will do a lot of jobs for us and not be super intelligent. That should be positive if we manage it well. A few decades after that though the intelligence is strong enough to be a concern. I agree with Elon Musk and some others on this and don't understand why some people are not concerned.
As the minimum wage increases, the companies will start to focus on adopting automation. And that future is not so far away. McDonald's stated back in November 2016 that it will replace cashiers with kiosks where the customers will place their own orders. This came soon after the $15 minimum wage increase. McDonald's also said that this process will begin in states where the minimum wage is higher, such as New York, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, etc.
Automation and use of AI in our daily lives is inevitable. But what will happen to the people who lose their jobs to automation?
Here's your answer: Universal Basic Income.
With each passing year, you can't ignore the fact that when, not if, automation takes over, Universal Basic Income will become an absolute necessity. As soon as we make plans to implement it, the better because if we are unprepared, we will be devoured by an avalanche of chaos and panic.
So yes, AI and automation are indeed the future. We are growing increasingly dependent on AI and it will not be long until AI does the work for us. In fact, it has already started.
Of course, we are still a ways off from the "robot takeover" and research and development is still needed. But most of all, there is a need to implement strict rules and laws for AI creation because if not, the results could be very, very dangerous.
Great article, but how do you think Universal Basic Income will affect peoples motivation to actually get up in the morning and go to work and try to improve something. I think that if we one day have UBI, there will be a lot of people who will feel useless and without any purpose in life and we will see abnormal increase in depression and similar psychological issues.
I just wrote a novel about this subject. A world where what kills of humans is the lack of the need to work. Sort of like a species-wide retirement effect. Anyway, UBI is inevitable and probably overdue. Considering how some people freak out over the idea of things like food stamps, people who hate the thought of helping other people, it will be intresting to see how weird UBI makes some folks.
Do wealthy (people with more virtual credits) get up in the morning and feel useless? Or do they work daily to improve themselves without having to worry about the basic necessities of life?
I see your point, but I believe you refer to people who worked hard to achieve what they have today. And yes, you are right. But what about those who simply inherited their fortune, do you believe they behave the same way?
"But what about those who simply inherited their fortune, do you believe they behave the same way"? Depends on the their upbringing. This notion goes beyond classes.
I think a UBI is necessary for creative freedom. It would take a few months for people to really realize the potential. But once it is grasped by even 20% of the population big changes would start happening. For one, people would not have to kill themselves at work ( I for one work like an Ox but that is due to my huge energy reserves), which would free up more time to do creative works, research, relax or just do nothing. There is power in doing nothing, it is necessary for growth. Lots of good stuff could come of this. Now if the government would just eliminate income tax which goes to military funding and not to communities and add the UBI who knows. But at this point the US and Canada have no money to give out. If they gave back peoples income tax as UBI now there's an idea hahahah!
Currently taking 2 free courses on AI and Machine Learning by Columbia University (which is rated as the number 1 University for Data Science).
You can take them for free here. Completing all 4 (it's a small series) actually counts as 25% of their master's programme!
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Great post...however I think that blockchain technology will be the future...isnt it?
Nice Article !! upvoted and followed :)
Interesting post that surely stretches the mind and its understanding.
To me, yes. Certainly, it is. I'm a greate advocate for AI and what it has to offer in underlying future.
With all open AI and device getting smarter every day, Musk's plan to create a Genesis colony in Mars all are fascinating.
But how safe we are going to be?
I'm apprehensive about where we are heading? Not that we shouldn't, but we should be very, very careful.
But, that' just me
Certainly AI is part of the future, probably not the way we expect it to be...
Nice article. There are so many conflicting opinions about what AI will actually become, if anything at all. Already there are suggestions that there are terminal limits within AI thinking more severe than anyone thought. That the machine, designing itself, will not advance naturally to a point of philosophy or emotional equivalence, but rather adjust down to maximum performance at a given task, which will make it ultimately rather boring. What is certain is that its goals will not be our goals.
nice post
AI will be huge in the future, but what will we be doing 🙄???
100% sure it won't get us more spare time. Although we could focus more on other things 🚀
Well, for starters we can focus on cleaning up the planet. Our oceans and air need a boost. Next people can focus on being parents as opposed to being absent all the time. Lastly, why not work on our space program? We get enough minds together great things can happen. :)