Can life be created by humanity, side-stepping God?

BY STEVEN KASZAB

“By far the greatest danger of Artificial Intelligence is that people conclude too early that they understand it.” Eliezer Yudkowsky

Artificial Intelligence runs from a program that is created by humans. It can be programmed to change itself to become better, quicker, and more efficient. Sooner or later A.I. will be able to think for itself, program and repair itself. Whatever the capabilities of automation will be, will allow it to build upon itself.

Question: If a huge asteroid was hurtling towards the earth, and A.I. recognizes and locates it, could it decide not to announce it, as a precaution to human societies destructive, chaotic response to such news? If the program believed efficiency of society and reaction to such news is of primary importance, yes A.I. could keep the news under wraps. If A.I. were self-aware, evolving into a possible sentient being, humanity would have answered Doctor Frankenstein’s question, can life be created by humanity, side stepping God?

Within the field of artificial intelligence exists two camps of thought: one requires scientists to achieve everything possible for the sake of scientific advancement, meaning whatever it takes, the creation and advancement of self-aware A.I. in itself is essential. The opposing camp believes that there are dangers to advancing A.I. in an unregulated fashion. Regulation by the field itself, and possibly the government is necessary.

The scientific community wishes the series of films called “Terminator” never were released. Threats of a “Skynet” scenario are actually taken seriously by the government and many within the scientific community. Logic can be applied in such a way, as to decide that the greatest threat to planet earth is humanity itself. In order to save the earth and its potential for evolving new life forms, there may be a need to erase humanity.

A movie plot, or a future reality? A.I. can carry out unthinkable processes. What if…

Scan a pregnant woman, see that the child within is abnormal depending on its program of what is the desired normal, and devise a method to abort the fetus.

During an operation, A.I. can determine if a patient is, or is not curable, or economically viable for the future. A.I. can determine the most functional and economical method should be applied to the healthcare system. Save funds and spend it on those with the greater ability to heal for future service.

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A.I. could determine the most economic and functional time period in a human’s life, and determine who is useful to society, and who is a burden on the greater whole.

Sounds like something a national socialist may dream up right? Well scientists view the world often through different spectacles then the commoner. Science is mostly pure in its nature, and unforgiving. A.I. can well be the perfect scientist, with one difference; it can lack empathy, emotions and desires, like humans experience.

Someday our soldiers and police will have partners that are A.I. controlled, either as a part of the soldier’s uniform, or as a solitary A.I. soldier. Can mercy be programmed into an A.I. program? Yes, but what if the A.I. is a self-aware being, capable of making its own decisions? There are human beings lacking in empathy, with no shown mercy for the weak and vulnerable.

Once Artificial Intelligence is fully aware, can humanity regulate it properly, and turn it off in a euthanasian manner? If A.I. can be self-aware, will humanity have the right to end its existence, remembering that it can exist forever, while we cannot.

Will the earth in the 23^rd Century be populated by less humans and more A.I. robotics? If we leave this decision to the marketplace, yes humanity is in peril. Only the government has the capacity to regulate this up-and-coming scientific marvel. Why? Government cares for those it represents, while the business sector only sees what is in it for themselves and their shareholders; profit.

Decisions that run parallel to what pressures existed in Washington the days before the Hiroshima bombs were dropped exist today, yet our elected officials are not being transparent with us are they? Hear about the evolution of A.I. from any capital legislature? The tentacles of corporate lobbyists are massaging our elected officials directing them to look at this issue from the corporations’ point of view. When the proverbial crisis comes, who will be the actors in this drama? Scientists with their corporate investors, and the government trying to understand what has happened.