[ExI] The Real Threat of Artificial Intelligence

[Stuart LaForge]

BillK wrote:

>Unlike the Industrial Revolution and the computer revolution, the A.I.
>revolution is not taking certain jobs (artisans, personal assistants
>who use paper and typewriters) and replacing them with other jobs
>(assembly-line workers, personal assistants conversant with
>computers). Instead, it is poised to bring about a wide-scale
>decimation of jobs — mostly lower-paying jobs, but some higher-paying
>ones, too.

>This transformation will result in enormous profits for the companies
>that develop A.I., as well as for the companies that adopt it.

>We are thus facing two developments that do not sit easily together:
>enormous wealth concentrated in relatively few hands and enormous
>numbers of people out of work. What is to be done?

There are several considerations about this situation that give me some
cause for optimism:

1. AI are software-based therefore it will likely not be possible for any
given company to monopolize the use of the AI for its own benefit. I mean
if the NSA can't keep Stuxnet secure then how would Company X keep its AI
out of the hands of competitors and ultimately script kiddies? Therefore
the gradual dissemination of the AI would help ameliorate the inequality.

2. It might be hard, without some heavy-handed top down management by
government, to protect even the highest paying jobs such as CEOs,
banksters, hedge fund managers, insurance underwriters etc. from
automation. I mean if AI can make more efficient resource allocations than
e.g. Jaime Diamond, what share-holder in their right mind would pay his
outrageous salary and bonuses?

3. The public sector might benefit from AI as much as the private sector.
An AI might be better suited to determine optimal tax structures and set
interest rates for example than congress or the Fed. Hell an AI might be
better suited to congress itself since it could parse a thousand page bill
in mere nano seconds in leiu of a congressman who typically can't be
bothered to actually read it before he votes on it.

4. As AI gets more generally smart, it would start to recognize that
profits will be maximized for Company X if consumers can actually afford
the goods and services provided by Company X. Therefore it might hire
humans to do busy work for Company X just to be able to have a customer
base for Company X.

5. Some hacker group like Anonymous might take it upon themselves to write
an AI that would be like Robin Hood and steal from the rich to give to the
poor.

That's about all I can think of for now, but I think you get my general
drift. I think AI will be just as disruptive for 0.1% as for the masses
and those that benefit the most will be the most flexible and adaptable
and not necessarily the wealthiest. Just my two cents.

Stuart LaForge