Group2

English1102H
K.Redding
ResearchEssay
29April2016
Everyrobot:TheComplicatedInteractionbetweenHumankind
AndArtificialIntelligence
ArtificialIntelligencecanbeseenallaroundustoday.Thereareseveraldifferent
versionsofAI.OurresearchwilldefinewhatAIisaswellasexaminesomequestionsrelatedto
artificialintelligenceandeverydaylifeinthe21stcentury.AfteridentifyingandclarifyingAI,
ourgroupwilladdressthechallenging,andethicallysignificantquestionofwhetherartificial
intelligenttechnologieswillrepresentanewspeciesorjustanotherevolutionarystepof
humanity?Ourresearchwilladdresstwoseparateviewpoints:AIbeinganotherstepofhumanity
andAIbeinganewspecies.
ArtificialIntelligenceisabroadtopic.AIisoftendiscussedinaveryvagueandgeneric
way(Urban).Artificialintelligencecanbedefinedasarobotwhichact,feels,andfunctionsasa
robot.Inotherwords,AIisasoftwarethatcanmodelandapplytheintelligenceofthehuman
mind.TherearethreedivisionsofArtificialIntelligence:ANI,AGI,andASI.AIrangesfrom
SirionyouriPhonetoselfdrivingcarstosomethinginthefuturethatmightchangetheworld
dramatically(Urban).ThemorepowerfulAIis,themoreitcanshapetheworldaroundus
(Scoblete).InScoblete'sCNNarticlehestated,"Onecanimagine(AI)outsmartingfinancial
markets,outinventinghumanresearchers,outmanipulatinghumanleaders,anddeveloping

weaponswecannotevenunderstand.WhereastheshorttermimpactofAIdependsonwho
controlsit,thelongtermimpactdependsonwhetheritcanbecontrolledatall."
ArtificialIntelligenceandtheadvancementsthatcouldhappeninthefutureisamajor
mystery.Therecouldbepositiveoutcomesthathelpchangeourworldforthebetter.Artificial
intelligencecancontributetohumanitysubstantiallyandmakesituationsthatwereoncedifficult
notroubleatall.Whilethereisapositiveside,thereisalsoascarysidetotheunknownof
artificialintelligence.Manynegativescanapproachuswiththeadvancementofartificial
intelligence.Oneveryrelevantquestioncancomefromthefutureofartificialintelligence,and
thatis,whathappenswhenartificialintelligenceturnsonus?Ashumans,theworldwould
becomeadifficultplacetolive.Nolongerwouldhumanshavecontrol,buthumanswould
becomeinferiortomachines.Thefutureofartificialintelligenceisnotonlyunpredictablebutif
somethingweretogowrongadangerousanduncontrollablesituationcouldresult.
Afteryearsofscifimoviesshowingartificialintelligencethroughcharacters,theconcept
ofAIisfinallyknockingonourdoors(Looper).AItendstobeassociatedwithSciFimovies.
Allofthosemoviesarefictionasaretherobotcharacters."TheTerminator"and"TheMatrix"
portrayedthedawnofAIasadisasterforhumankind.Thereisusuallyonerobotthathasthe
intenttotakeoveranddestroytheworld.Viewersleavethetheaterswithwavesofanxietygoing
throughtheirminds.Withthatbeingsaid,AIcansoundveryfictional(Looper).
Therearemanybooksrelatedtothetopicofartificialintelligence."OurFinalInvention:
ArtificialIntelligenceandtheEndoftheHumanEra"writtenbyJamesBarratisanexampleofa
booksurroundingtheideaofartificialintelligence."Beforewesharetheplanetwith
superintelligentmachines,wemustdevelopascienceforunderstandingthem.Otherwise,they'll

takecontrol(Barrat).BarratmakesitclearthatforAItobesuccessful,humanitymusttakethe
timetoeducatethemselvesandbepreparedforthepossibilities.HesaysAIcouldeventuallybe
abletoupdateonitsownandcutthemiddlemanoutbeingus,humans.Anotherbookexploring
artificialintelligenceis"Superintelligence:Paths,Dangers,Strategies"writtenbyNickBostrom.
Inhisbook,BostromtalksabouthowonedayAIwillbeequivalenttoanormalhumanbrain.
Thesuperintelligencepartapproacheslaterinthebookwhenhespeaksofthesciencefiction
situationwherehumanityistakenoverbyartificialintelligence.Bothbooksdiscussthekey
ideasandrealitiesofartificialintelligence.
SeveralriskscomealongwiththecreationofArtificialIntelligentSystems.Themain
issueisthatonedayAIcouldbecomesoadvancedthatiteventuallydecidesitwantsapowerof
itsown.Noteverythingalwaysgoesasplanned.Artificiallyintelligentsystemscould
misunderstandamissiontheyaregiven,anditcouldendupcausingmoredamagethangood.
Oneriskbeingpeoplemaybeignorantofthesituation.Peoplemayconcludetooearlythatthey
haveanunderstandingofartificialintelligence.Wheninreality,peoplearenotgoingtobe
preparedforallthepossibleoutcomesandobstaclesassociatedwithAI.Anotherriskinvolving
artificialintelligenceistheriskwhendealingwiththecyberworld.Artificialintelligenceisno
differentthanothersoftwareprogramssuchasFacebook,Twitter,andothersocialnetworking
sites.Withsoftwareprogramscometheriskofcyberattackandthethreatofviruses.Computer
programsandsoftware'sareveryvulnerabletotheseattacksasproventohumanitybefore.The
corruptcyberworldaffectspeopleeveryday.Artificialintelligencewillbejustasvulnerableto
theseattacks.Unlikeacomputerprogramgettinghackedandbeingwithoutitforaday,ifaform
ofartificialintelligenceweretogethackedcouldresultinharshpunishments.Lastly,thetalkof

artificialintelligencehasbeengoingonformanyyearsnowwithlittledrasticchanges.People
arebeginningtolosehopeonthereeverbeingasignificantshiftoradvancementinAI.Because
ofthisandlittleoutcome,manypeoplehavelostfaithinthepossibilityandclosedtheirmindsto
it.Ifsomethingweretochange,peoplewouldbeunpreparedandunawareofthenew
technologicaladvancements.
HumanswillbedramaticallyaffectedbyhowAIdevelops.WiththecreationofAI
systems,manyjobswillbelost.Scoresofpeoplewillbeputoutofwork(Scoblete).Thehuman
workerswillthenbereplacedwithanAIsystem.AccordingtotwoUniversityofOxford
researchers,47%ofjobsareathighrisktolosetheirpositionstoAI.Telemarketerswillbethe
mostsusceptibletolosingtheirjobs("TheFutureofEmployment").Sewersbyhand,
mathematicaltechnicians,andtaxpreparersfollowcloselybehindthetelemarketers.Surgeons
andtherapistsareleastlikelytolosetheirjobstoAIsystems("TheFutureofEmployment").The
theorybehindtheseAIsystemsisthattheycangetthejobdonemuchfasterthanahumancould.
AIcouldbeinfringingonaperson'sprivacy.Forexample,Facebookcanrecognizewho
anindividualisinphotos.WhenapictureispostedonFacebook,Facebookcandetectwhothe
personisbasedontheirfacialstructure.Facebookthenattemptstotageachfaceinthephoto.
Theuseofartificialintelligenceisbecomingthewayhumanityfunctionsonadaytoday
basis.Peopleuseformsofartificialintelligenceeverydaywithoutbeingawaretheyareusinga
formofAI.Averywellknowncompanythatusesaformofartificialintelligencethatmany
peopledonotknowofisApple.Siriisasimpleformofartificialintelligencethatiscommonly
usedamongmanypeople.SiriisabuiltindevicethatassistsAppleusers.Siriisknownasan
intelligentassistantbecauseofhercapabilities.Siricanperformmanytasksbasedonavoice

commandfromtheuserofthedevice.Siricanbeusedtofindouttheweather,reademailsand
textmessagestotheuser,getdirections,andmoretasks.AusercanaskSirihowtocookrice
andSiriwillrespondwithinstructions.SiriisasimpleformofAIbutperformsdifficulttasks.
TheideathatArtificialIntelligencecouldhavenegativeaspectstoconsideris
onlyonesideofthestorythereisalsothepositivefeaturesandideasthatcanonlybe
accomplishedthroughexpandingtheuseandknowledgeofArtificialIntelligence.Withthe
worldthewayitistoday,technologyisintertwinedwithoureverydaylives.Theideatogetrid
ofAIwouldmeanchangingthewholepaththatsocietyisontoday.AdverseaspectsofAIare
onlytheoriesandpredictionsofwhatcouldhappen.Eventhoughtsareassociatedwithaformof
ASIthatisnowherenearpossibletocreatewithtodaystechnology.
Whatisartificialintelligence?Anotherdefinitionofartificialintelligence,asdefinedby
dictionary.com,isthecapacityofacomputertoperformoperationsanalogoustolearningand
decisionmakinginhumans,asbyanexpertsystem,aprogramforCADorCAM,oraprogram
fortheperceptionandrecognitionofshapesincomputervisionsystems.
WithArtificialGeneralIntelligence,scientistsarecloserthanevertoachievinganewand
completehumanlikeform.Anexampleofthishumanformisacomputersystemconstructedto
havethebehavioralattributesofathirteenyearoldboy(Computer).Thirtythreepercentof
scientistswhoconversedwiththecomputersystembelievedthatitwasarealhumanadolescent.
Whyaresomanypeopleafraidoftheideaofartificialintelligence?Humanityfearsthe
aspectsthatcomefromsuperartificialintelligence.ASIisnotaprovenenemyorallyitisstill
justatheoryineitherform.ThesciencecommunityhasnotyetcompletelyachievedAGI,much
lessmadeanystepstowardsthissuperintelligentprogram.

Thetypesofartificialintelligencebeingputtouseincurrenttimecontributetomaking
thelivesofpeoplemucheasier.Itallowsforthemostefficientuseoftime.AGIsystemsare
testedgraders,navigators,SIRI,andafewmore,butthescientificcommunityisfarfrom
perfectingsomeofthesesystems.Thusfar,artificialintelligencecanonlydotasksinwhichthey
areprogrammedtobeabletodoontheirown.Theycannotthinkforthemselves.Theyarejust
followingtheirprogrammedcommands.
TherearemanybenefitsinexploringwhatAIcoulddoforoursociety.Themedical,
intellectual,andscientificbenefitsthatsocietycouldgainfromusingandfurtherimprovingAI
technologyareunnumbered.Amajor,andalreadyprovenbenefit,ofAI,isthatithasno
emotionsofitsown.AIcannotloveorhate,anditalsocannotfearorbecomeuneasy.Human
emotionoftengetsinthewayofthoughtsandactions,andthosefeelingscanleadtomistakes
thatanAImachinewouldnotmake.Duringamedicalprocedure,anervoushumanleadstoa
shakinghanditcanmakeanerror.AnAIdevicewouldmakethemovementnecessaryto
completethetaskathandonlybecauseitwascommandedtodosomething.Therewouldbeno
mistakemadefromemotion.
ThereisatheorybySharonGaudin,whopublishedanidea,whichproposesthatA
soldiermightbegivenasmartassistantthatwilltrainwithhimandonedaydobattlealongside
him.Acollegegradjustenteringtheworkforcemaygetherownsmartassistantthatwilllearn
alongsideherandprovidesupportassheadvancesthroughhercareer.Artificialintelligencehas
thepotentialtoimprovefurtherupontheadvancementsbeingmadebythehumanrace.
Anothersourcestates,Infact,whyfocusonsuchextremescenarioswhenthereare
manyalternativesthatwouldseeapeacefulcoexistenceandproductivecollaborationbetween

humansandmachines?Thesesystemscould,forexample,becomepartnersorteachers,or
perhapsevenfeelindebtedtous,theircreators(Ortiz).Thisquotetakestheideaofeven
reachingArtificialSuperIntelligenceandgivesapositivevisionortheory.Withthisvision,ASI
couldloveandprotectus.AIalsocanbealearningexperienceforallofthescientists,engineers,
andpsychologistsinvolved.AIcouldhelpallinvolvedlearnmoreabouthumannatureand
thoughtprocessessinceArtificialIntelligenceisbeingshapedintheimageofhumanbeings.
AlthoughsomemaybelieveinonlytheharmthatArtificialIntelligencecanbring,we
believethatthefearshavenobackingandnoproofbehindthem.TheideathatArtificial
IntelligencecanbegoodandusefulhasalreadybeenprovenintheArtificialIntelligenceweuse
everyday.IfoneweretolookathowArtificialIntelligencehasimprovedourworldthusfar,and
theideasofhowmucheaseandcomfortitcouldbringtosocietyinthefutureitisamazing.The
ideathatArtificialIntelligencecouldfightinwarsalongsideus,oreveneventuallybefightingin
placeofourfathers,mothers,daughters,andsonswouldbeahugebenefittosociety.Thereis
theideaofAIbutlers,thermostats,orcooksthatmakemealsbyjustbeingtoldtodoso.Allof
theseincredibleopportunitiesandideasshouldnotbestoppedduetofear.Thefearsofwhat
couldbeshouldnotstopthepossibilitiesofthefuture.Theonlythingwehavetofearisfear
itself,isaquotetoberememberedwhendiscussingthetopicofArtificialIntelligence(FDR).
SofarAIhasnothurtorharmedthehumanraceoverall,anditdoesntshowanysignsofdoing
soanytimesoon.Eventhepossibilityofjobloss,shouldnotaffectonesopinionaboutArtificial
Intelligence.Withonejobbeingcutmorejobsareconstantlycreated.Jobcutsarealready
happeningeverydayinoursocietybecausethatistheywayoreconomicsystemissetup.After
readingthispaperjustrememberthattechnologicaladvancementcanbeagoodthing.Always

keepanopenmindanddonotbesoafraidoftheunknown.Lastly,beopentonewexperiences
andideas.

WorksCited
"ArtificialIntelligence."
Dictionary.com
.UnabridgedRandomHouse,Inc.,n.d.Web.24
Apr.2016.
Bostrum,Nick."Superintelligence:Paths,Dangers,Strategies."
FinancialTimes
.N.p.,
n.d.Web.24Apr.2016.
"ComputerSimulating13yearoldBoyBecomesFirsttoPassTuringTest."
The
Guardian
.GuardianNewsandMedia,9June2014.Web.14Apr.2016.
DeLooper,Christian."IsArtificialIntelligenceReallyAThreatToHumanity?"
Tech
TimesRSS
.N.p.,28Aug.2015.Web.12Apr.2016.
Frey,CarlBenedikt,andMichaelA.Osborne."TheFutureofEmployment:How
SusceptibleAreJobstoComputerization?"TheWallStreetJournal,17Sept.2013.Web.14Apr.
2016.
Gaudin,Sharon."InsteadofRobotsTakingJobs,A.I.MayHelpHumansDoTheirJobs
Better."Computerworld,22Sept.2015.Web.20Apr.2016.
Geist,EdwardMoore."IsArtificialIntelligenceReallyanExistentialThreatto
Humanity?"
BulletinoftheAtomicScientists
.N.p.,30July2015.Web.12Apr.2016.
"KurzweilAI|AcceleratingIntelligence."KurzweilAIBookReview,n.d.Web.24Apr.
2016.
Ortiz,Charls."ThePositiveEffectsofArtificialIntelligenceonHumanity."N.p.,15Jan.
2015.Web.20Apr.2016.
Roosevelt,FranklinD.
PresidentialInauguration
.N.p.,23Jan.1933.Web.

Scoblete,Greg."IsAIaThreattoHumanity?"
CNN
.CableNewsNetwork,30Dec.
2014.Web.14Apr.2016.
Urban,Tim."TheAIRevolution:TheRoadtoSuperintelligence."
WaitButWhy
.N.p.,
22Jan.2015.Web.14Apr.2016.
"WhatHappensWhenArtificialIntelligenceTurnsOnUs?"Smithsonian,n.d.Web.24
Apr.2016.