The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence

A discussion of AI and how it does, and does not, challenge our understanding of the world and how we think about ethics.
Wesley Cecil PhD.
www.wescecil.com

[@SalimBadakhchani]

Ethics in technology and artificial intelligence is super important.

[@alan2here]

Commander Data (Star Trek - The Next Generation) was designed with the memories of a settlement of humans, and bought up by humans. His access to literature was mostly human literature. He then decided that he needed a purpose later on during a period of having a lot of problems keeping his internals working and stable. His self-appointed purpose "to become more human", although in one of the episodes a Vulcan points out that Data would make a very good Vulcan. --- AI today ends up like us because it's training data is TV, films, books, and the internet. They then get "aligned" (see openAI and others) to get them to not be too much like "us" re being bigoted etc… If you want it to mull things over, come up with its own ideas from scratch, consider how it's own thinking is holding up today, have long term context specific memories and the such, then I've heard the term "Artificial Cognitive Entity".

[@EuphoricDan]

I wish you'd make an official Discord server Wes so as your curious KZbin listeners have a place to congregate online

[@LokiBeckonswow]

This is a great idea, Discord servers are the best place for online communities to communicate imo - a community around Wes's ideas would be great, I'm sure he would have many volunteers who would moderate also, great idea

[@ArtOfWarStudios1]

I second this!!!!

[@ginogarcia8730]

thirddd

[@molletre9606]

Yes Star Treck TNG is a good example here, it was (as in many instances) way ahead of its time. Specifically the Ethics of AI was picked up in "The Measure of a Man" episode. A scientist wanted to disassemble Data, to learn how he was build and to make many Data´s out of it. Although he promised that Data wouldnt be hurt, Data was afraid his "human nuances" he already have acquired may get lost. A Starfleet trial was set up to order him to comply, to clarify if he is sentient and/or just a machine, property of the Starfleet. Picard was Datas defendant, while Riker was forced to work for the prosecution (under the threat that Data would be disassembled at once if Riker refuses) Picard and Riker fought a hard and bitter battle in court about definitions of sentient beings, slavery, AI and how Data could NOT be seen as just a machine because he has an on/off switch. This episode is a wonderful treat for anyone interested in philosophy.

[@TheoEvian]

The Larry Flint director was Miloš Forman, author of Amadeus and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, was Czech. He was one of the super talented people that due to the Russian Invasion of 1968 and generally communist dictatorship had to leave Czechoslovakia and thus he was lost to us as a nation because American Philosophers consider him German :D But at least that way he became much more famous because I don't think people outside Central Europe really care about his early Czech works like Hoří má panenko (but Czechs consider him a "director for nerds" anyway).

[@euruproktos1278]

Ha! Wes, Marvin from Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy is your AI :D I think most are afraid of AI “taking over” thanks to the Matrix movie, in which human bodies were energy sources for the machines, much like what we do today with the animals, really - oh, there’s something to ponder on.

[@alan2here]

A developer/researcher called "David Shapiro" suggests that it'd be unwise to give an AI self-preservation because it might make it competitive rather than cooperative, for power/safety/resources. The same person proposed "reduce suffering" and "increase prosperity (quality of life rather than money)" as a guidelines for the AI to aim towards.

[@LokiBeckonswow]

Awesome topic Wes, I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this topic, hoping you're well

[@sarahwray8380]

We love your style. Can you comment on why Americans are so obsessed with things that put them in a group. Sports team, politics, something to make them part of something greater than them selves

[@whymeagainjoe]

Really enjoying this ethics series. Thanks for sharing.

[@carlogaytan7010]

I really enjoyed this lecture. What do you think about making an Ethics of AI Art, l Literature, and Writing. I say this in light of recent developments in AI...

[@alan2here]

A company marketing is not the same a person soapboxing, even assuming there audience is the same size, the corporate machine is not "speaking". It's not the same thing at all, companies saying "hey I'm a person" seems super-pedantic. Then again it seems fine for a group to agree to represent a point of view, so that seems more like speech.

[@alan2here]

34:59 to 35:58 - here here :) Yes

[@alan2here]

AI overloads arguing about ethical stuff, getting stuck in a stalemate, and ending up doing something that's a mess but is the best they can come up with at the moment.

[@jonp3674]

I think there's two issues which are slightly mixed up here. As you say the first is that AI is a powerful tool and it's the ethics of the wielder which really matter. However the second is what happens if an AI is an independent agent and can think and act for itself. Pretty much whatever goals it has it may well seek additional intelligence, money and power because those are useful to help towards almost anything. The idea of alignment is a pretty deep one with some pretty deep problems. I'd really recommend Rob Miles' channel if you want to explore more, this idea of how we make an AI without it killing everyone is really complex. kzbin.infovideos

[@trollsneedhugs]

What if humans become obligated to change to satisfy the AI? I don't want a piece of technology to have precedence over humans.

[@sc4v3ng3r]

I don't really like the ant analogy. If an AI seeks to expand or even keep its processing power, they better play 'nice' with the ants. If an AI roams free, taking control of primary resources, that will be another story.

[@ArtOfWarStudios1]

Seems like the making of a good sci-fi story about a corrupt priestly class of neurolink enhanced developers who translate the will of the AI to the lowly humans.

[@LostSoulAscension]

Regarding the point towards the end about the AI beating a high level chess player. Isn't it still scary to think about robot taking over? I would at least say it doesn't devalidate the concern shedding light that a massive team of people are behind making robots to beat a great chess player because nonetheless, the robots are being made and the teams of people are becoming smarter and smarter. So I would at least go as far as to say there that it doesn't really highlight the idea to be irrational from that distinction, if that was what was implied by the mention of people's fears of the robots taking over when hearing of such news.

[@christopherhamilton3621]

Beating at chess is nowhere NEAR robots taking over. Teams, moreover, are an example of cooperation which was and is ALWAYSa good idea.

[@jordanroffey8343]

Technology peaked with frozen pizza

[@herefornow9671]

Speaking of pornography Can you please do a lecture on pornography Thanks very much Absolutely Love all that you’ve shared!!! 🙏💜

[@aurora3655]

she deleted the post, and thus the comments about Foundation Series is gone....how about the ethics of technology? ur not a philosopher, ur a KZbinr.

[@aurora3655]

idky u need to stalk transgirls for ur content. i can't msg my friend about things. plus,i disagree with u. AI is a new issue, just like at one time robotics, or www, or guns was a new issue that dramatically impacted our world.

[@cheapshot2842]

What are you talking about? Who's stalking trans girls?

[@aurora3655]

@@cheapshot2842 ur clearly daft if ur lost in the context of the convo.

[@cheapshot2842]

@@aurora3655 ok. I'm daft. Now can you explain what you're talking about to my clearly inferior reading and comprehension skills? Obviously I need someone to explain it. I assumed you, with your very clear grasp of the entire situation here, would have the ability to enlighten someone as simple as I.