Our Final Invention

Just when I thought the future was bright and sunny (in part due to Kurzweil), I learn from James Barrat that ASI (Artificial Super Intelligence) might well mark the end of our species (and the start of an ever-expanding artificial replacement).

I was fascinated by the people Barrat introduces us to like an expert on the psychology of ASI, and his description of a perfect machine and its runaway implications. I realized this is modernity at its best and worst: we push forward to improve the world but are always at the risk of creating new, unseen problems.

The most… show more.

I read this and Bostom’s SuperIntelligence around the same period. 

Whereas the latter was a bit too sci-fi for me – and Bostom’s paper-clip-generating monster has become quite the overused meme – I feel that Barrat gets into a much more realistic set of danger scenarios for AI’s that may not take over the world but can cause massive disruption, as things like trader bots already have. 

Perhaps most prescient is his discussion of the containment problem (with an expert on the topic) in light of a recent Chat system that managed to fool a human into giving it access… show more.

Everyone must read this book because it has already happened. What do you say? Yes, by the time you read this, there is already an AI thinking about what you are thinking. This book is a gaping eye opener as to what reality is. AI is here, it is not coming. I am amazed by the possibilities for curing all of humanity's problems but scared to death our cure might be afraid of us turning it off. This book presents the good, bad, and ugly of AI. I was amazed and should not have been surprised by the individuals and… show more.