While 2016 has had its many (many) downs, it was not without its ups.
Artificial Intelligence, for example, has made some serious progress this year.
Last March, DeepMind’s program AlphaGo went up against Lee Sodol in a $1M 5-game challenge match of Go in Seoul. Lee Sodol has been the top player of Go for the past decade. However, he, the audience, and the millions of viewers of the livestreamed match, were shocked when AlphaGo not only seemed to comprehend the complexities of the game, but also surpassed Sodol’s intelligence across the game. AlphaGo’s ability to think and respond creatively was revealed through its unpredictable moves.
I don’t know about everyone else, but after watching movies like Iron Man back in 2008 and hoping that I could one day have my own personal AI to assist me in similar ways, I was excited to hear about this.
Now, there are people such as Professor Stephen Hawking that are wary of AI.
When I think about it, they have a good reason to worry.
Skynet could go from a fictional superintelligence to a non-fictional superintelligence. Next thing you know, we’ll be fleeing extermination by something that not only has the ability to improve itself, but has removed humans from the equation entirely.
That’s scary and all, but it’s also possible that such things won’t happen.
The primitive AI we have now has proven itself useful as of now, but I’d like to see it taken further. I’m not saying development has to forgo caution, just that development shouldn’t be held back by it. I want to be able to come home one day, say the words “order my favorite pizza” in any general direction, and within 30 (hopefully) minutes I’ll be chowing down. Payment would have already been processed and all I have to do is tip the driver.
That’s all I’m asking for.
This is a guest blog by Chris Obeto the Younger, a CompSci student. I am hoping it becomes a regular feature on AbsolutelyWindows.
© 2002 – 2017, John Obeto for Blackground Media Unlimited
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