Are We Really Safe From Self-Aware Robots?

CAohRcJUwAAyQiI.jpg

 

End-of-mankind predictions about artificial intelligence, which have issued from some of today’s most impressive human intellects, including Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Steve Wozniak and other notables, have generally sounded overly alarmist to me, exhibiting a bit more fear-of-the-unknown than I would have expected from such eminences, especially the scientists. But that was before I saw reports on the self-aware robot.

The reports, including a recent piece in New Scientist  http://bit.ly/iCubNS  tell of a breakthrough in artificial intelligence. A robot was able to figure out a complex puzzle that required it to recognize its own voice and to extrapolate the implications of that realization. (Shorthand version: Three robots were told that two of them had been silenced and they needed to determine which one had not been. All three robots tried saying “I don’t know,” but only one could vocalize. Once that robot heard the sound of its own voice saying, “I don’t know,” it changed its answer and said that it was the one robot that had not been silenced.)

What’s noteworthy is that this same test had been given to these same robots many times before, and this was the first time that one of these self-learning robots figured it out. 

The classic argument against the robot takeover of the world is that while computers can go haywire, think the Windows operating system on almost any given day, so can humans. That’s undeniable, but society has established some extensive checks-and-balances that limit how much damage any one person can do. The military has a chain of command, and killers on a shooting spree are eventually stopped, either by the police or bystanders. Consider 9/11. Although terrorists flying planes into buildings was unexpected, as soon as the nature of the attack became apparent, all US aircraft were grounded.
But our reliance on computers to assist us and even take control just keeps increasing, and today machine intelligence is integral to military weapons systems, nuclear power plants, traffic signals, wireless-equipped cars, aircraft and more. One of our greatest fears now is that terrorists will gain control over any such key computer systems. But an even greater threat might be that the machines themselves gain the upper hand through artificial intelligence and wrest control from us.

It’s become something of a classic science-fiction storyline: The systems calculate that they need to take a different path than we humans have envisioned. Consider this passage from that New Scientist story: “The test also shines light on what it means for humans to be conscious. What robots can never have, which humans have is phenomenological consciousness: ‘the first-hand experience of conscious thought,’ as Justin Hart of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, puts it. It represents the subtle difference between actually experiencing a sunrise and merely having visual cortex neurons firing in a way that represents a sunrise. Without it, robots are mere ‘philosophical zombies,’ capable of emulating consciousness but never truly possessing it.”

I suppose that was intended to be comforting to its human readers, suggesting that consciousness will always keep humans one big step beyond computers. But another way to look at it is that these systems will eventually have the ability to think any thoughts humans can, but without our moral compass. So the machines, confronted by a starving population and an agricultural system that is maxed out, might conclude that a sharp population reduction is the solution — and that the nuclear power plants within its control offer a way to achieve it.

You can forget Isaac Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics. The United Nations has already attempted to set rules for battlefield robots that can decide on their own when it’s a good idea to kill people.

There is a subtle line that shouldn’t be crossed with artificial intelligence. Making Siri smarter so that she understands questions better and delivers more germane answers is welcome. But what about letting her decide to delete apps that are never used or add some that your history suggests you’d like? What if she sees from your calendar that you’re on a critical deadline this afternoon and decides to prevent you from launching distracting games when you should be working?
Engineers are not the best at setting limits. They are much better suited — both in terms of temperament and intellectual curiosity — to seeing how far they can push limits. That’s admirable, except when its results move from C3PO to HAL 9000 to Star Trek: TNG’s Lore.

When superior engineering truly engineers something superior — superior to the engineers — can disasters imagined in science fiction become science fact?
Computerworld: http://http://bit.ly/1NrmcMm

 

« How Companies Are Fighting Off Spies and Hackers
Top Risk Management Concerns: Survey Results »

CyberSecurity Jobsite
Perimeter 81

Directory of Suppliers

XYPRO Technology

XYPRO Technology

XYPRO is the market leader in HPE Non-Stop Security, Risk Management and Compliance.

Jooble

Jooble

Jooble is a job search aggregator operating in 71 countries worldwide. We simplify the job search process by displaying active job ads from major job boards and career sites across the internet.

CYRIN

CYRIN

CYRIN® Cyber Range. Real Tools, Real Attacks, Real Scenarios. See why leading educational institutions and companies in the U.S. have begun to adopt the CYRIN® system.

LockLizard

LockLizard

Locklizard provides PDF DRM software that protects PDF documents from unauthorized access and misuse. Share and sell documents securely - prevent document leakage, sharing and piracy.

ON-DEMAND WEBINAR: What Is A Next-Generation Firewall (and why does it matter)?

ON-DEMAND WEBINAR: What Is A Next-Generation Firewall (and why does it matter)?

Watch this webinar to hear security experts from Amazon Web Services (AWS) and SANS break down the myths and realities of what an NGFW is, how to use one, and what it can do for your security posture.

Yubico

Yubico

Yubico sets new global standards for simple and secure access to computers, mobile devices, servers, and internet accounts.

evoila

evoila

evoila GmbH is one of the leading providers in consulting, analysis, implementation and management of cloud infrastructure.

Copenhagen FinTech

Copenhagen FinTech

Copenhagen FinTech is a centre for R&D and innovation in the Danish finance IT sector. Focus areas include cyber security and payments platforms.

CodeOne

CodeOne

CodeOne provides solutions for website and web app security.

Protiviti

Protiviti

Protiviti consulting solutions span critical business problems in technology, business process, analytics, risk, compliance, transactions and internal audit.

Brainloop

Brainloop

Brainloop's security architecture enables you to work on and distribute strictly confidential documents both within and beyond the firewall.

International Accreditation Forum (IAF)

International Accreditation Forum (IAF)

The IAF is the world association of Conformity Assessment Accreditation Bodies. Its primary function is to develop a single worldwide programme of conformity assessment.

Nexon Asia Pacific

Nexon Asia Pacific

Nexon solutions include cloud infrastructure and services, unified communications, managed security services, business continuity, secured high-performance network and business applications.

BriskInfosec Technology & Consulting

BriskInfosec Technology & Consulting

BriskInfosec provides information security services, products and compliance solutions to our customers.

ArmorCode

ArmorCode

ArmorCode's intelligent application security platform gives us unified visibility into AppSec postures and automates complex DevSecOps workflows.

Advent One

Advent One

Advent One are recognised for solving intricate dilemmas, not only making technology work but building foundations that customers can grow upon in an effective and secure way.

RubinBrown

RubinBrown

RubinBrown LLP is a leading accounting and professional consulting firm. The RubinBrown name and reputation are synonymous with experience, integrity and value.

SecurityStudio

SecurityStudio

SecurityStudio is a continuous cybersecurity risk management platform that allows decision-makers to quickly identify the most immediate threats and make confident risk informed decisions.

Entro Security

Entro Security

Entro is the first holistic secrets security platform that detects, safeguards, and enriches with context your secrets across code, vaults, chats, and platforms.

AdviserCyber

AdviserCyber

AdviserCyber provide Cybersecurity and Compliance Solutions for Registered Investment Advisers.

Xantaro

Xantaro

Xantaro specializes in technologies, software and services for Carriers, ISPs, Hosting and Cloud Providers as well as for Operators of Data Centres and Campus Networks.