[ExI] Shared "Mind" Database & AI Development

[Dennis May]

One of the largest challenges in the development
of AI is financial.  Some ten years ago I estimated
my favored approach would take some 2 billion
dollars in lab equipment and infrastructure plus
the budget to keep a minimum of 50 people 
involved - call it 100 million per year for 10-15 
years.  Adjust for current pricing.  I based this 
pricing from my experience at a particular lab 
which is part of what is now called the Air Force 
Research Laboratory system.
 
I don't expect this kind of steady long term 
investment to be available from any government
entity in my lifetime.  It could however be built
up over time as part of a commercial enterprise
delivering a personal upgrade product line.
 
This concept would be a continuation of the idea 
of a series of minor human upgrades - possibly 
involving a kind of smart phone technology and
minor implants and added sensor capability.
 
The reason I put in the headline shared "mind"
database is because thousands of customers
could be served and help add knowledge to a
growing database system - a kind of automated
Wikipedia of the mind.  The growth of the system
can help pay for the AI work.  The AI is 
integrated into the network as portions come on 
line.  It would be expected that over the time
frame of development there would be 
improvements in product delivery, improved
sensors, improved implants, and improvements
in the AI structure and ways to integrate it into
the database.  The AI portion would be the
financing I indicated before.  The upgrade and
shared mind database development would 
become another whole large entity over time.
Like anything it would necessarily start small
with a tiny number of applications, sensors,
and implant options.
 
Grand up front designs for AI will die when at 
the hands of bean counters and/or politically 
savvy managers with pet projects and 
connections.  The government lab system is 
littered with dead projects that die one of these 
two ways. The wheel is re-invented at least twice 
per generation.
 
Just my 2 cents for the day.
 
Dennis May
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