I have always been a big fan of movies with AI themes. Perhaps I enjoy watching what the future holds for mankind--a pet life under "conscious" machines. Yes, we hear it from a lot of experts in the field like Raymond Kurzweil, Stephen Hawking, or Elon Musk. They vocally express a very optimistic view on the chance of having humans overruled by these machines that are now beginning to form a mini population with the introduction of Sophia the Robot and a follow-up of many other names in their uhm, species?

However, as much as I would like to believe that such cool domination might occur, I just can't, because at that very idea, we miss the truth behind that consciousness we would like to upload to these machines which even us could never ever fully have a complete understanding of. We might be reaching too far with that idea, don't you think?

Now, let me tell you why the idea of "conscious" machines and their taking over our race is not as possible as what those experts make it sound like.

1. AI experts work on just a very specific area of intelligence

AI experts play around the ability to learn things, showing of emotions, and solving analytical problems which are all just a little part of the vast concept of intelligence we haven't even fully explored yet. Even neuroscience, psychology, or even biology combined cannot exactly open up that perhaps quintessence of our intelligence that tags along consciousness or awareness, the mind, and the brain in general. Despite our overwhelming progress in technology, we cannot just upload everything we perceive as our consciousness into something, because the knowledge we have about our consciousness whether in the fields of philosophy, science, psychology, etc. are still in an infantile stage in the first place.

In philosophy, as an enthusiast, my mind runs through a lot of theories about consciousness that all have their rivals or counterparts in other fields--all leading not to any exact same idea, for there are just so many ways to look at this complex consciousness of ours, and one of them is not looking at it as something we could just upload like a program. See, what AI experts focus on do not really represent so many other characteristics of the human brain like creativity. Sure, AI machines might be able to create better things someday than us, but that would not produce an equally crafted output like that of a person's which was probably built in a cabin away from chaos, at a significant time, and with this source of inspiration and strong dedication..

The AI machine cannot dominate us through their efficient ability to produce something at a reasonable speed humans might not be able to accomplish at such time with the same quality of result. Humans have an associated sense of procrastinating in their creativity that the AI machines could never do but rather avoid-- that means they could be greater than humans, but that does not mean it should spark any notion of domination. See, they might be really creative with those amazing outputs they could deliver but not necessarily conscious--it's creativity kind of like without its feeling.

2. Speaking of feeling...

There are a lot of feelings that are rooted in the vagus nerve only a biological body has. Looking at what AI machines could further transcend into, they still would not require eating or drinking, thus taking away gastronomical pleasures and even that feeling of drunkenness. Sure that seems ideal--no more depression spreading out from body figure issues due to the absence of need for eating and there would be more sober or responsible citizens to take over the society--but it also means that there would be a difficulty in the machines' part in terms of relating with humans' feelings they can't all sense. A lot of feelings rooting from the vagus nerve are important to our functioning like that gut feeling, or butterflies in our stomachs.

If irresponsibly multiplied and taken as absolute fellows, there would be just another birth of social crisis, as conflict in relationship between these AIs and humans will inevitably arise. Imagine our fascination to perfection and definite ease that these machines are continuously developed to "help" us when we are undeniably creatures with natural sense of idolatry. That is problematic, for we would end up looking up to these machines for favors that may or may not allow them to take over us, but most probably the former, because like what I said, they can hardly relate to everything we feel.

In my introduction, I expressed my sarcastic reason for being fond of AI movies, and that statement could be a harsh truth if we keep looking at these AIs as the future to replace us. Basically, I suggest they remain as instruments. Unfortunately, I think a lot are thinking they are indeed our replacements.

3. Morality

In spite of the currently observed good motivations of AI machines like Sophia the Robot, it still is vague as to how such certain idea of morality would be certainly good for the welfare of the society. I mean, in a very general sense, yes, but what about the theories about morality scholars of philosophy continue to debate about?

AI experts with their drive to quick progress still need to spend time weighing a lot of concepts about morality which until now seems like something us humans are not all interested in. We react to a lot of issues involving discrimination these days but we are seldom proactive to investigate the whole issue and look at it in so many contexts out there provided by literature. Sure, okay, the AI experts may have great philosophical ideas that still won't change the fact that they cannot just decide for the future of this entire society. Still, is it really fact though? What is fact anyway? See..

It is nice to have AI machines doing things we cannot do as perfectly for or with us, but it is not really convenient to deal with more minds with programmed ethics that just does not work for you. They can always make varieties, sure, but that would veer away from the point of the ideal unity it was supposed to lead us to--to contribute into fixing our craps. If that purpose did not quite ring, then why are they being made? Philosophically, it could be that we just want to make better version of ourselves--yes, no cramming, etc., but then that would be definitely spoiling this whole innovation, eh? What is its purpose? Or is it really meant to not have one as a nod to our existentialism?

Artificial intelligence is without a doubt cool, but what do you think about that idea of them being alongside us in the future?

references:

• vitamodularis.org
• Medium

jpg sources:

• Hands
• Vagus Nerve
• Morality