http://techcrunch.com/2013/12/02/amazon-is-joining-not-starting-the-drone-delivery-revolution/
Idea isn't all that new but never before such serious corpo decided to dive into this bussiness.
Robots and automated machines are expanding their possession, from being simple toys, through building our cars to independent flight.
I believe You probably know that industrial machines are doing so many automated tasks for us, but I'm wondering if You knew, that...
...machines are packing our mails into envelope...
...or maybe something more serious, mechanic mule powered by diesel engine, used by US Army...
... looking even more into the future, swarms of robots working together to accomplish a task...
... or closer to our daily routine, driving a car...
...well, it seems that they are almost everywhere, where they will be in near future?
So my (little philosophical) questions are:
- To what extent is it possible to repleace human in any job?
- What scenario would you prefer to happen: robots everywhere or humans?
- Looking at above examples - do you believe robots will ever get to the point where their intelligence will produce consciousness as outcome?
I think, that robots and automatic system will get more and more frequent in our everyday life. It’s a natural consequence of all the science work that human kind is performing since ages :).
ReplyDeleteThere will be a higher power demand because all those systems need power to work.
The question is what we are all going to do with the spare time we gain delegating most of the activities to machines.
It will be very tempting to waste that time doing nothing :).
Regarding cars that are driving by them selves - it's good to see them emerging. This technology should save lots of lives.
DeleteIt could also endanger a lot of lives. Just imagine the security risks - having your car controlled by computer leaves it open for hacking. Once it happens, even a little harmless "joke" could result in dangerous accident. Even without malicious intent, simple programming glitches could result in similar things.
DeleteI agree with Kamil that it also could endanger a lot of live.
DeleteI read an article where hackers described how they can take control of the car so if the cars will be completely controlled by computers it can be dangerous besides, I like to drive a car , and I hope it will never create cars that will do it for me :)
You've good point writing about higher power consumption it clearly will be one of the issues to tackle. I didn't think about it at first. ;)
DeleteKamil, Krzysztof - I don't agree with You on that, just like Waldemar I believe that automated systems will SAVE a lot of lives instead of endangering them.
DeleteOf course at this point of time it's impossible to know how is right, but...
think about planes that are piloted mostly automatically and are extremely safe, almost all catastrophies are coused by human error.
Another example - in Volvo where computer takes over the steering wheel three redundant systems are controlling how it works. If even one of the systems is giving different data than other two - the whole system is disconnected and gives back control to human.
So I'm optimistic about this stuff being safe. :)
Here's a counter example :)
DeleteA 14-year-old maliciously causes tram derailments in Łódź using an infrared device which he built himself:
http://forum.pclab.pl/topic/327388-14-latek-wykoleja%C5%82-tramwaje-w-%C5%81odzi/
Not so long ago, we had an article about GPS spoofing, including drone hijacking. Obviously, drones are pretty rare stuff, whereas pretty much everyone has a car. This means far more opportunities for something to go wrong - whether intentional or just by pure accident.
DeleteI'm not saying this is bound to go wrong, but the risk is there. There are safety measures in place, but time will tell if they will be enough. I'm sure that this technology will be beneficial as a whole, but there are some threats that have to be considered. Hopefully they won't happen, but...
About trams - if you read this article it still looks like more a human mistake - this boy said he was wandering around tram depot freely (stealing equipment) and talking to technical employees there asking how system works... I'm still believing that we can be safe when people will be doing less... errors. :D
DeleteAbout GPS spoofing, I'm pretty sure it's not that easy (I've made some comments on that), GPS jamming - easy that's true, but still - worst case scenario is that human can take over as a last resort. :)
1. To what extent is it possible to repleace human in any job?
ReplyDeleteIn theory, as more jobs are being delegated to robots, there should be other, new jobs for people (such as programming the robots). So we should never run out of jobs. But retraining takes time and there may be disruptions along the way (because now you need less people to do something).
2. What scenario would you prefer to happen: robots everywhere or humans?
I'm not sure I understand, if robots take over, what happens with us?
3. Looking at above examples - do you believe robots will ever get to the point where their intelligence will produce consciousness as outcome?
Sufficiently advanced sensors and logic could make them seem conscious to us. Be we'll always be able to tell it's a robot.
That four-legged robot is great! Maybe it could replace the postman too ;)
1. If the job involves mostly physical labor and highly repetive tasks without much variation, there would be almost no difference between robot and human. However, once human interraction comes into play, machines start to fall behind. Your "robotic moderators" could censor the comments, but they wouldn't be able to tell what X really meant in their post.
ReplyDelete2. It's debatable. On the one hand, having robots do all the work leaves humans with a lot of free time to do their own things. On the other hand - what do we do with all that time? We might complaining about our jobs, work taking away lot of our time, but it keeps us occupied and gives us focus. Without it, who knows what would happen. Boredom could make some people do crazy and dangerous things, just to have "something" to do.
3. No. Programming robots is no different from creating normal computer programs. There are defined conditions and ways to react for them. Despite all the results it may produce, deep down, this "artifical intelligence" is just a series of IF->THEN statements. You don't just randomly create "consciousness" out of all this.
Not to mention that years of science fiction literature/movies probably made people paranoid enough to put actual safety measures in place, thus making sure no "spontaneous consciousness" can happen.
I would like to comment on third point.
DeleteYou are absolutally right that AI boils down to if-then, but tell me - isn't it the same with us (I mean our brain:). Just on a far larger scale. I believe it is.
Action and reaction :) You see, hear, feel, smell or taste something and it produces some reaction in your brain - I believe we can get to that point with AI.
Unless the brain somehow makes use of quantum effects:
Deletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_mind
But otherwise I agree that it can be simulated.
1.To what extent is it possible to repleace human in any job?
ReplyDeleteI hope it will never happen there are still such professions where in my opinion should be performed by them men, for example, the surgeon. And also for example that kind of job like seller or something like that should be preformed by the men because it is better to talk with men than with the robot:)
What scenario would you prefer to happen: robots everywhere or humans?
Neither this nor that I think that there are jobs which are very dangerous so that jobs can be performed by the robots, for example, mining in other professions men and robots can work together. The main thing is to keep a balance :)
Looking at above examples - do you believe robots will ever get to the point where their intelligence will produce consciousness as outcome?
I don't think so like Kamil wrote programing robots is the same like programing computer. We define condition and make decision what to do next base of that conditions. Robots do that what we tell(write) in that program:)
I believe that there is a many aspects in which a robot can replace the human. For me the most extensive of its use is in cinematography or the army. I don't avoid technological innovations, cars run by computer, and many others but this "machines" have an Internet connection or have a computer program that is a perfect bite for hackers and other people who can use this. And this one thing is very dangerous.
ReplyDeleteOf course humans! I can't imagine life without women ;)
I hope that robots will replace us in many areas of life, but I think that this still need more work from humans in artificial intelligence and security to be able to freely leave.
1. To what extent is it possible to replace human in any job?
ReplyDeleteI think that replacement of human with a robot in many fields is almost limitless. There are of course areas where for a long time or maybe never robots will manage to work such as medicine or art. I cant' imagine robots as an psychiatrist or a balet dancer.
2. What scenario would you prefer to happen: robots everywhere or humans?
In my opinion robots should serve as a sort of utility and help for us, not something that could replace us or fight with us for the territory. Of course I would not be happy to see the world full of robots with no humans at all.
3. Looking at above examples - do you believe robots will ever get to the point where their intelligence will produce consciousness as outcome?
I don't think the robots will ever be able to produce consciousness- at least I won't live long enough to see it.
It is very difficult to replace a man. Man learns from their mistakes and uses to analyze the mistakes of the past. Man acquires its attributes with age. He has
ReplyDeletehis philosophy and views. The man has its own individual interests and feelings. Feelings are a very important issue. Scientists have long been conducting research on the development of robot
who could reflect human behavior. The aim is to build a perfect being that would be able to reflect the man. At the moment there is a robot who would be deprived of
human flaws. Man is sensitive to external factors.
An important issue for designers and theme building robots is human safety. A lot of of professions exposed of human lives at risk. Therefore, it is no wonder that scientists want to create
a robot that mimics the human. The most important thing is to create robots that can work during the hurricane, rain, fires, floods.
A man is a conscious, able to distinguish good from evil. It is the best essence of what we know so far. We live, work, learn, even if the machine will ever replace the human in various areas of life
not to break down and always good performance of its roles not replace fully human.
I suppose that robots (or wider - machines) will replace humans in all areas where tasks may be defined in a formal way and easily automated. Additionally, in many areas people uses machines which are staying smarter and smarter - like cars. We become more car controllers than drivers.
ReplyDeleteI prefer communication with real people but I can stop technological advance. Who likes call to call center and hear recorded instruction?
The third question is really philosophical. Answer for your question strongly depends from exact definition of the term consciousness. I've just looked into the Wikipedia for sample definition and found - Consciousness is the quality or state of being aware of an external object or something within oneself. But I'm not a wiser because I've not understood what exactly means "being aware" :-).
So I only say that currently I don't thing that such point will come because I don't see that producing consciousness as outcome would be necessary.
Recently I had a discussion with my friends on the topic of robots which could deliver mail or products from stores. One of my buddies pointed out to me that this is a risky idea, as in US people could just shoot the robots down and have "free gifts" as they would travel over their land. So probably before this revolution happens something has to be done to address this issue (or probably peoples' mentalities towards such a thing).
ReplyDeleteI believe that machines will continue to substitute people in more and more areas of everyday life, but I highly doubt that humans will become redundant (at least in the nearest future). I also think that this is a good thing as our lives become much easier and more pleasant due to this transition. On the other side, some people are probably not too eager to see the possibility of having drones walking on streets (and movies like "Matrix" or "Terminator" only make the hype bigger!)
As for the possibility of creating an artificial brain I think that we are far from doing so - at least using the technology that is commonly used nowadays. Maybe the creation of the quant computers will change my mind... time will tell.
To what extent is it possible to replace human in any job?
ReplyDeleteRobots should replace humans in typical physical work or where there is a threat to health and life.
What scenario would you prefer to happen: robots everywhere or humans?
I thing that in typical social interactions everybody prefers to be surrounded by humans. Of course in the case of hazardous occupations and hard physical labor it's better to have robots around which could do things faster, better and without risking somebody's life.
Looking at above examples - do you believe robots will ever get to the point where their intelligence will produce consciousness as outcome?
If this happens, I think that humanity will achieve the status of God, which can have unimaginable social impact. By creating life that is aware of its existence, we become responsible for it, and we cannot call it artificial anymore. This scenario is wonderfully presented in such movies as Steven Spielberg's "A.I." or Ridey Scott's "Blade Runner".
1. To what extent is it possible to repleace human in any job?
ReplyDeleteIn the future every possible job can be handed over to robots. There will be no limits of what a robots can do.
2. What scenario would you prefer to happen: robots everywhere or humans?
The prefer scenario is where Robots do all menial tasks and people are creative and happy
3. Looking at above examples - do you believe robots will ever get to the point where their intelligence will produce consciousness as outcome?
Yes I am sure it will happen. It will happen exactly in 2046, during the coming Singularity. In case you wonder and want to know more please read “Singularity is coming” by Ray Kurtzweil
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ReplyDelete1. To what extent it is possible to replace human in any job?
ReplyDelete2. What scenario would you prefer to happen: robots everywhere or humans?
3. Looking at the above examples - do you believe robots will ever get to the point where their intelligence will produce consciousness as the outcome?
This topic and the discussion within seem quite funny to me, actually, as I was running a discussion on similar subjects with my peers more than twenty years ago. Back then we were all fascinated by computation and all the world of information technology that was developing so quickly ; I myself could hardly believe how possible it is that the computer (i.e. ZX Spectrum - 8 bit)can win with me in a game of chess. Our imagination was stimulated by authors of science fiction stories such as Stanislaw Lem, who were telling us what would the inevitable future bring. Then I was be able to answer the above questions as follows:
1. There are no limits in in that the machinery will replace humans.
2. Robots everywhere and the human in the role of their immortal ruler.
3. Yes, I do believe that the robots will reach self-consciousness.
However, twenty years had passed and the majority of what was meant to be is not. Therefore today I am inclined to perceive it in the following way:
1. The limitations for the robots to replace men are the properties of the human mind. These that cannot be "programmed" because robots (and other machines) are based on other than a human model of 'processing'.
2. I would prefer robots to replace humans in the above manner in order to improve
the quality of human life. The quality of life understood as moral, intellectual, and spiritual development. Though, the problem, supposedly, is badly posed. To what extent is not so important as who would take the benefit from working machines. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries people also wondered what would be the scope of the industrialization process, however, it turned out that no less important was who owned the factories. What is the effect of these se considerations alone we can evaluate today.
3. Mr. Grzegorz Gruza was right to point out that we first need to define
the term "Consciousness" alone. Even more so, in the event of lack of a precise definition that prevents us from "programming" such functionality. However, such a precise definition is missing, despite the intensified efforts of scientists investigating this problem in the area of cognitive science (http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/cognitive-science ). In the absence of the above, "consciousness" is treated as a full image of human qualities, and for me as such it will never be existent. My faith, again only the faith and not any speculation based upon knowledge, but rather based upon the fact that man has some non-material and spiritual part that cannot be produced otherwise but by the hand of God.
1. To what extent is it possible to repleace human in any job?
ReplyDeleteRobots should be controlled by people. People never should be controlled by robots. But we can not forget that any robots costs money and applaience them always involves training and awareness how to use them. So the bottlenect will be alwas people and their attitude towards new technology. And I think people don’t allow robotos to replace them completely. An example may be robots who drive a car instead of a driver. Even such technology already exists people won’t completely trust such a robot becouse they won’t be ever such robust that people could be able to confide their life to robots...
2. What scenario would you prefer to happen: robots everywhere or humans?
There are two extremes. I am for neither of them. It sould be always compromise between of what people can do and what robots could help them to do.
3. Looking at above examples - do you believe robots will ever get to the point where their intelligence will produce consciousness as outcome?
This is too much philosophical question. First we should define what consciousness as outcome means. I think robots will always similate consciousness making things very quickly. Developing any alghoritms on very fast computer may be treated as very inteligent solution but it will be always something programmed by humans and very stupid one essentially. I don’t expect any breakthrought in the near future.
I think that as long as it is not, but maybe in future ...
ReplyDeleteHowever, I would not be happy with that. The vision of robots rule the world, straight from science fiction movies. It's not like me at all.
Many things that seemed impossible to us 50 years ago, today they are commonplace. So who knows what will happen in 50 years or 100 years ...
Good question very difficult to answer. I think it is only limited by engineers’ imagination. Optimal scenario in my opinion is robots everywhere it is helpful but fully under human`s control. I don’t prefer machines doing what they want. Let me bring up little example: the robot performing surgery, for sure it is helpful, more precise than human but still needs to be control by doctor. Third question is too philosophical for me, I am not able to answer :)
ReplyDelete1. To what extent is it possible to replace human in any job?
ReplyDeleteI hope that robots will replace humans in all the tedious repetitive and do not require creative thinking tasks. I think there is a limit of robots application. It seems to me that we will not be able to teach robots creative and artistic thinking if we can even talk about thinking.
2. What scenario would you prefer to happen: robots everywhere or humans?
Both scenarios are not realistic because they are tasks that can not be done by humans and are tasks which cannot be done by machine but personally I would prefer that robots do maioryty of tasks
3. Looking at above examples - do you believe robots will ever get to the point where their intelligence will produce consciousness as outcome?
No I do not believe that robots will ever get to the point where their intelligence will produce consciousness as outcome.