Prof. Oates: Stop Fearing Artificial Intelligence
UMBC's Professor Tim Oates has a column on the online TechCrunch site describing why we should Stop Fearing Artificial Intelligence. Professor Oates has 20 years of experience working with a wide range of AI technologies, including machine learning, robotics and natural language processing. In the piece, Dr. Oates explains that
"As yet another tech pioneer with no connection to artificial intelligence steps out to voice his fears about AI being catastrophic for the human race, I feel the need respond. … Conflating facts of technology's rapid progress with a Hollywood understanding of intelligent machines is provocative (honestly, it's a favorite in my most-loved science fiction books and movies), but this technology doesn't live in a Hollywood movie, it isn't HAL or Skynet, and it deserves a grounded, rational look.
and discusses some of the limitations of current intelligent systems like IBM's Watson. Like most AI researchers, he's a believer in Strong AI — the idea that there is no theoretical reason why a machine can not exhibit behavior as skillful and flexible as humans — but doubts the such machines will be neccessarily dangerous.
"But let's suppose, for a second, that an AI does learn to think intelligently outside its programming and that it’s become discontent. Would this superhuman intelligence inherently go nuclear, or would it likely just slack off a little at work or, in extreme cases, compose rap music in Latin? In a world filled with a nearly infinite number of things a thinking entity can do to placate itself, it's unlikely "destruction of humanity" will top any AI's list."
Stop Fearing Artificial Intelligence is a well written and thought provoking article.
Posted: April 9, 2015, 2:23 PM