Artificial Intelligence In The Modern Age

Artificial intelligence in supercomputers, also known as AI, has been a discussion for ages and something that dwelled only in our imaginations. But it is quickly becoming a reality.

Various forms of media have been based on this technology that has the mind of a human being. AI has been expressed as good, such as David, the robotic boy in A.I. Artificial Intelligence, as well as bad, such as the highly intelligent super computer H.A.L. in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Whether you feel these supercomputers are a good thing or bad, the probability of AI becoming commonplace has become more of a reality today.

According to PBS News Hour, “Artificial intelligence has been creeping into our everyday lives.” For example, the items “creeping” in are smartphones. With technology advancing every day, AI is tapping more into human lives and tapping into real-life concerns, according to Elon Musk, who said the creation of AI is “summoning the demon.”

Elon Musk, CEO, of Tesla Motors & SpaceX, isn’t bent on stopping the advancement of AI, but, according to PBS News Hour, he stated that AI is a threat more “dangerous than nuclear weapons.” He also said, “I think we should be very careful about artificial intelligence. If I were to guess at what our biggest existential threat is, it’s probably that.”

AI labs exist all over the world. PBS News Hour asked the head of the UC Berkeley lab, Stuart Russell, about the concerns of AI being used in the near future. “The biggest problem is the development of autonomous weapons,” he said. “Everyone knows about drones. Drones are remotely piloted. They’re not robots in a real sense. There’s a person looking through the camera…and deciding when to fire. An autonomous weapon would do all of that itself. It chooses where to go, it decides what the target is, and it decides when to fire.”

One example of a drone that is outfitted with AI is the British Taranis, which is currently operated by humans but will eventually be able to work autonomously.

An article in WIRED, a news magazine that covers current and future trends in technology, recently reported on robots known as Kiva Bots. Kiva Bots have been working in warehouses for companies such as Amazon, Gap and Staples. These robots can identify items in a matter of seconds.

In an Interview with technology news source cnet.com, Amazon employee Rejinaldo Rosales joked about working with the Kiva Bots: “We don’t socialize as much but it’s more efficient.” Ken Goldberg, a robotics professor at UC Berkeley, said, “Robots are essential for meeting the demands of people.”

Other facilities and labs have been exploring the possibility of AI. According to the Wall Street Journal, a Tokyo-based AI company is using “Deep Learning” software programs. These programs are meant to have computers learn on their own “without a human hand holding them at every step of the way.” “Deep” refers to the network of artificial neurons.

The Deep Learning program has been used in various places. According to the Wall Street Journal, Alphabet Inc., a parent company of Google, acquired the startup of the Deep program for $500 million. The Wall Street Journal also stated the Deep Learning program has become popular in Silicon Valley to make software better.

The program, however, is still in development. Phys.org, a website dedicated to science and technology news, asked Professor Peter Abbeel of UC Berkeley’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences about the development of the program. Abbeel said, “We still have a long way to go before our robots can learn to clean a house or sort laundry, but…in the next five to 10 years, we may see significant advances in robot learning capabilities through this line of work.”