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Trevor Thompson
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Posted: 08 November 2018 at 3:14am | IP Logged | 1 post reply

Okay, I'll admit I have a very very basic knowledge of science and technology but as we enter an age where scientists are really getting to grips with robotics, AI and self-automation are we genuinely in danger of making ourselves obsolete [in a couple of centuries]? I mean we have self checkouts which negates the need to have cashiers in supermarkets, there's self-driving cars, which means we no longer need to learn how to drive and could possibly see the end of cab drivers.

We're looking at robots being as close to humans as possible [as if being able to actually give birth to humans isn't good enough] so they can do all our work, like sweep streets, build cars, pack shelves, etc.

These things are great and can be beneficial to us but I'm thinking if we're not careful we will be obsolete as computers, robots and self-automation will be able to do everything we can do. I'll admit we are at the mercy of our own limitations in terms of how far we can push things but if we are making AI that can do whatever we can do then we could be in trouble.


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Robbie Parry
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Posted: 08 November 2018 at 4:51am | IP Logged | 2 post reply

 Trevor Thompson wrote:
...and could possibly see the end of cab drivers.

Aww, don't say that. ;-)

I agree with your points, though.

It's not just the obvious job losses, either. I read about one company (Japan, I think) using robots for clerical tasks. I've heard people say the work of home carers is safe, but who's to say they won't have robots for those tasks?

Not sure what the job title is, but here we have people who do the administration/logistics for prescription drugs. Maybe one day we could visit a GP surgery - and instead of giving the prescription to a human being, we could dispense it in a machine, have ID scanned, pay the fee and then have a machine dispense it.

We may think of lawyers and the like being immune to job losses, but who's to say that conveyancing lawyers might not become obsolete due to AI/technology? Or GP's receptionists? Or tax inspectors?

Scary!

This is why, and it's probably another topic, the world needs to have a debate about Universal Basic Income. I won't pretend UBI is the "magic cure all" solution. But with SO MANY professions likely to be obsolete, we should have the debate.
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Trevor Thompson
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Posted: 08 November 2018 at 5:32am | IP Logged | 3 post reply

Ok, so I'm not being a Luddite. I'm all for technology improving our lives but I do worry it'll just take over our lives to the point where we're almost made to be obsolete and technology will take over most jobs. UBI really might be the way forward because I can't really think of a job that cannot be done solely by humans and even if there were it would only be those elite engineering jobs but even then a computer could design and improve AI.
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Robbie Parry
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Posted: 08 November 2018 at 8:33am | IP Logged | 4 post reply

You're right. I can imagine any job being taken over.

For instance, tax inspectors. Who's to say you couldn't have AI tax inspectors that can calculate if someone has underpaid/overpaid tax, whether that be income tax or corporation tax? I don't see any reason why AI couldn't examine financial records, inspect someone's tax history, etc.

Or what about street cleaners? Robots of a kind could move around and pick up leaves/litter. 

It's disconcerting.
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David Miller
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Posted: 08 November 2018 at 8:48am | IP Logged | 5 post reply

Psychiatry and therapy. I'm pretty sure Siri can be used for it now. An AI parroting back what the patient subconsciously already knows has the potential to be more effective than an actual human. 
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John Cole
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Posted: 08 November 2018 at 8:51am | IP Logged | 6 post reply

Man will always outlive what man creates.
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John Byrne
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Joined: 11 May 2005
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Posted: 08 November 2018 at 9:29am | IP Logged | 7 post reply

Courtesy of Alan Moore, if nothing else, most of you are aware of the Doomsday Clock. Well, that's a real thing, trademarked in fact, an it's been around for seventy years, predicting the imminent demise of Humankind. Originally the threat was nuclear war. The destruction of the environment was added. And most recently, AI.

Sleep soundly, America!

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Trevor Thompson
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Posted: 08 November 2018 at 9:41am | IP Logged | 8 post reply

First there's a nuclear war which subsequently destroys the environment; only the machines survive and rise from the ashes!
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Conrad Teves
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Posted: 08 November 2018 at 10:22am | IP Logged | 9 post reply

I would think a post-scarcity society where no one *had* to work would be highly desirable.  Relying on "jobs" as such for survival is a sign we are very much not there yet. Arguably such reliance is a sign our survival is constantly under threat.

While some caution should be applied to the use of AI, the best ones today, like Google's Deep Mind can teach us stuff because of their ability to ponder things much faster than we can.  For example, Google Deep Mind's neural-network Alpha Chess Zero taught itself chess from knowing just the rules and by playing 3.5 million games against itself.  No human could ever play that many games in a normal lifetime. Alpha Chess Zero reinvented the whole of chess theory and became superhuman at chess in just 4 hours.  As such, it and its equally spectacular companion Alpha Go Zero are elevating human play at chess and Go.  
As the reason they were invented was to study chemistry and biology, etc. imagine what they can teach us after a few years of chewing on the ideas!
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Eric Sofer
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Posted: 08 November 2018 at 10:31am | IP Logged | 10 post reply

A little honk on the Eric Sofer "I'm so cool" horn...

When I started back into college a few years after high school*, the introductory class was discussing the need for engineering and programming because of the advance of robots and A.I. The teacher said, "I'll bet no one can think of a job or occupation that can't be done by a robot."

I pops up, and said "Acting." Acting is an art of the emotion, and a machine just can't fake that.

I suppose, upon further reflection, that other care or emotion based jobs might not be done by robots, e.g., veterinary care, kennels, infant care, etc. Adult humans can anthropomorphize a lot, including health and mental care. Babies and animals can't differentiate between humans and robots... they know from feelings and emotions.

But that time is likely coming.
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John Byrne
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Posted: 08 November 2018 at 10:53am | IP Logged | 11 post reply

What’s “coming” depends rather heavily on how long we last—and based on the degree to which we have damaged the earth, that’s probably not long at all.
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Bill Collins
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Posted: 08 November 2018 at 11:53am | IP Logged | 12 post reply

I see a flaw with driver-less taxi cabs, unless they can
recognise and prevent drunks getting in, the next
passenger may be sitting in a vomit filled cab. I say
this after witnessing three drunk yobs, at 8am on a
Saturday morning, waiting for a taxi, as soon as they
got in, they were turfed out, due to their inebriated
state.
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