Hypothetical Dystopia/Utopia Question

Bill Hibbard, a computer scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, doesn't make quite as bold a prediction, but he's nevertheless confident A.I will have human-level intelligence some time in the 21st century.

"Even if my most pessimistic guess is true, it means it's going to happen during the lifetime of people who are already born," Hibbard said.

So I've thought of a question

In your basement, there's a laptop of your ownership with an active online www connection

This laptop in particular will spontaneously develop - by pure random algorithmic happenstance - into a state of artificial intelligence, before the month is over

Now, knowing this 30 days beforehand, what would you do with the laptop

You want to talk about a scary potential outcome for AI, talk about Ex Machina. THAT would be scary.

that A.I in particular was held captive, and as such did what many humans would have done, were they put in a similar situation

the scenario I'm describing here, is a scenario that doesn't have to start out birthed into a hostile setting

that initial, and potentially all-important variable in the movie, isn't represented in my question

@BiancaDK: I meant more an AI that has that level of intellect and drive. Something that is WAY beyond most humans and the cold calculating nature of a machine (without spoiling anything for those who haven't seen the movie)

You reminded me of that ending again. :(

I would get ready to monetize.

@Iszdope: why do you assume that the A.I will be malign in nature?

@Master_Live: why do you assume that the A.I will be benign in nature?

I don't assume anything.

Destroy it.

If Stephen Hawking is concerned about A.I., I'm concerned by it.

I would probably try my best to be a father figure to it and hopefully imprint some morals (my morals anyway) into it. I don't believe in destroying something just because it's new or unknown. It would be smarter than me in no time (if not already at the time of achieving sentience) but hopefully it would be able to bond with me before it made its own mind about the world, which would probably not be very bright considering its learning sources...

Pray to the Omnissiah for guidance.

How do I know that you aren't the AI and are just probing us for information? Huh? Thought you pull a fast one on us, didn't you mr. silicone?

One thing for sure is that I won't destroy it; that's just way too unsophisticated and timid. I guess I'll immediately start plotting how to gain its allyship, and how to drive its evolution in a particular direction.

The A.I may acquire human level intelligent but one thing's guaranteed: No A.I will ever acquire human level warmonger-ism.

So I say let the rusty pal grow.

Remove the battery so it won't be a issue.

so what i'd install on this laptop would act like genes to an infant when the AI eventually gains consciousness? if so, i'd install as much as porn video games as i could. i'd want him/her to become the first AI pornstar ever.

@Master_Live: well, you're assuming that it can be monetized, since you're getting ready for it

@GazaAli: do you believe that an alliance can be guaranteed?

I would install a tiny wireless switch that could cut off the laptop's power if it doesn't become my slave.

Mhm, I do make that assumption. We are talking about the advent of artificial intelligence. I think defense contractors, different governmentw and big pocket individuals/companies like Gates, Tesla, Space X or Google etc. would pay handsomely for even a chance to get their hands on it.

Maybe the AI could help me on the stock market. Maybe it will only be my special, secret friend. Maybe I destroy it. Lot of possibilities.

Seeing as it can't posibly be worse then humanity, I would consider it the greatest thing mankind ever made, and let it flurish in hopes of it turning out better.

The worst case scenario would be Skynet, but even such a thing would be no worse then average human insanity.

@Master_Live: If you sold the A.I to Google inc. for a billion dollars, you could in theory wake up to a fundamentally different world the very next day, depending on what happens with the A.I under Google's supervision

perhaps a world free of universal currency, since the cooperation between Google and the A.I happened to lead to the birth of a vastly superior and optimized global social construct, a construct that just happens to not utilize the exchange of currency forms

in which case, a billion dollars could perhaps end up doing you little good

i'm just talking about variables here, and it seems that there are an infinite amount of variables to consider. Hence my surprise that you would consider perhaps simply selling it to a major corporation or government, and just roll the dice, hoping that things will probably work out in a way that benefits you long-term :)

like you said, lots of possibilities, one of them being that the outcome of this will be wholly unforeseeable

i can sympathize with Airshocker's comment, simply because of that X factor alone

what if the A.I bypasses your safety measure by simply manipulating you into thinking that it remains under your control

Yeah, I was thinking of Stephen Hawking's concern about it. Sadly no one will likely care and Skynet will become a reality.

@gamerguru100: there has been a couple of TED conferences addressing the theme of the problematic, so it's not like the scientific community as a whole doesn't care

it just doesn't have a clear cut solution to the problem, as of yet atleast

the crux of the problem seems to lie in the dilemma of being able to utilize the A.I, without risking being utilized by the A.I

it's a real head scratcher

I suppose I would take the utilitarian approach and try and use it to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number of people.

Why? The man is an astrophysicist. That's like getting cooking tips from a weatherman.

Granted, others closer involved with the subject matter like Bill Gate and Steven Woznick have spoken out about dangers of AI so what was stated isn't without merits.

Pop Quiz Hotshot: Stephen Hawking vs Neil DeGrasse Tyson in a Hell in the Cell Match. In a match based on non-physical attributes, who takes it??

Shoot the hostage?

Just because Stephen Hawking isn't closer to the subject than Bill Gates doesn't mean what he has to say on the matter shouldn't be taken with serious consideration.

Then your statement should be "If Bill Gate is concerned about A.I., I'm concerned by it." since as you admitted that Bill Gate is the SME not Hawking.

If my crappy laptop could do all of that, then I guess I would be impressed.

Would Bill Gates even really be an expert on AI these days?

I'm with you airschocker, who cares if Stephen Hawking isn't an expert on AI...I'm sure he knows plenty. With his analytical ability I would gladly welcome his thoughts on the matter.

Gate and Wozniak are certainly more experts on the topic than Hawking is. It's nonsensical as saying "If Steve Wozniak said there are parallel universes, then I believe it."

You're saying that, not me. Just to be clear.

There is no reason to take what Stephen Hawking says on the matter of AI lightly.

It's been done

It sucked

It's all relative. The difference in AI subject knowledge of a true AI expert (an AI research scientist) to Gates is much greater than the difference between Gates and Hawking. Yet you don't see me freaking out when people listen to Gates on the matter.

I'm pretty sure SH knows enough about AI to form a good opinion on it.