Algorithms versus spontaneity – striking the happy medium
There’s been a number of recent pieces about the rise of self-learning technology that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to carry out tasks that would previously have been too complex for a machine. From stock trading to automated translations and even playing Frogger, computers will increasingly take on roles that used to rely on people’s skills.
Netflix used an algorithm to analyse the most watched content on its service, and found that it included three key ingredients – Kevin Spacey, director David Fincher and BBC political dramas. So when it commissioned original content, it began with House of Cards, a remake of a BBC drama, starring Spacey and directed by (you’ve guessed it) Fincher.
This rise of artificial intelligence is worrying a lot of people – and not just Luddites. The likes of Stephen Hawking, Bill Gates andElon Musk have all described it as a threat to the existence of humanity. They worry that we’ll see the development of autonomous machines with brains many thousands of times larger than our own, and whose interests (and logic) may not square with our own. Essentially the concern is that we’re building a future generation of Terminators without realising it.
They are right to be wary, but a couple of recent stories made me think that human beings actually have several big advantages – we’re not logical, we don’t follow the facts and we don’t give up. Psychologist Daniel Kahneman won a Nobel Prize for uncovering the fact that the human mind is made up of two systems, one intuitive and one rational. The emotional, intuitive brain is the default for decision making – without people realising it. So in many ways AI-powered computers do the things we don’t want to do, leaving us free to be more creative (or lazy, dependent on your point of view).
Going back to the advantages that humans have over systems, the first example I’d pick is the UK general election. All the polls predicted a close contest, and an inevitable hung parliament – but voters didn’t behave logically or according to the research and the Tories trounced the opposition. While you might disagree with the result, it shows that you can’t predict the future with the clarity that some expect.
Humans also have an in-built ability to try and game a system and find ways round it, often with unintended consequences. This has been dubbed the Cobra effect after events in colonial India. Alarmed by the number of cobras on the loose, the authorities in Delhi offered a bounty for every dead cobra handed in. People began to play the system, breeding snakes specifically to kill and claim their reward. When the authorities cottoned on and abandoned the programme, the breeders released the now worthless snakes, dramatically increasing the wild cobra population. You can see the same attempt to rig the system in the case of Navinder Singh Sarao, the day trader who is accused of causing the 2010 ‘flash crash’ by spoofing – sending sell orders that he intended to cancel but that tricked trading computers into thinking the market was moving downwards. Despite their intelligence, trading systems cannot spot this sort of behaviour – until it is obviously too late.
The final example is when humans simply ignore the odds and upset the form book. Take Leicester City. Rock bottom of the English Premiership, the Foxes looked odds-on to be relegated. Yet the players believed otherwise, kept confident and continued to plug away. The tide now looks as if it has turned, and the team is just a couple of points away from safety. A robot would have long since given up……..
So artificial intelligence isn’t everything. Giving computers the ability to learn and process huge amounts of data in fractions of a second does threaten the jobs of workers in the knowledge economy. However it also frees up humans to do what they do best – be bloody minded and subversive, think their way around problems, and use their intuition rather than the rational side of their brain. And of course, computers still do have an off switch………….
This post originally appeared on the Revolutionary Measures blog at https://measuresconsulting.wordpress.com/2015/05/13/algorithms-versus-spontaneity-striking-the-happy-medium/
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9 年The challenge is how do we ensure humans stay in control of the tasks. Technology is just a tool that makes our lives easier, and is crucial that technology goals stay aligned with human goals. In any use of technology context is also crucial, this is even more critical for AI, without this we could end up being spammed or given unwanted information at the wrong time. The human aspects of technology must remain otherwise it will soon become an irritation vs a useful assistant.
Gestalt Consultant and Owner at ROC/COM Strategy, Socratic Practitioner, Futurist, Remote Viewer Ancient Paradigms.
9 年Getting caught up in our abilities at times sound ridiculous so we step back and punt. But, are we going to science fiction or Soyant Green in the process?
Gestalt Consultant and Owner at ROC/COM Strategy, Socratic Practitioner, Futurist, Remote Viewer Ancient Paradigms.
9 年Have you forgotten your mission here??? (Our reason for being here in physicality of Time / Space is as a forgotten mission to interface Mind with Matter and create with the tools thereof). We have forgotten all the knowledge and wisdom inherent with this manufactured environ we call Life. One wonders how did we get sidetracked? We did not study hard enough! The discovery and later the preoccupation with self set us on this pathway. This multifaceted ground is hard copy wherein mind is able to interface and create freely but control varied our gaze away! The advent of a Moire Arena state of Mind! (Decipherment of Ancient Egyptian manuscript attributed to Thoth). Thoth ( The Jewish Enoch) lived for 36,000 years. Long life was directly proportional to the knowledge and wisdom inherent within the carrier. Such knowing can be attained today if humanity but cared. The University of Mind is where we start our renewed leverage! In one stage of our recent past here (12,900 years ago), we almost developed our highest civilization in physicality. 85% of the planet's human populous was highly advanced, well educated and members of a scientific universal with a Godly mindset. They were a select grouping that sought high knowledge and wisdom and considered attaining the highest striving for the Christos state of mental zeniths. Love was the driving force for cohesion, coherency of all Human living and creative endeavor. Their primary purpose for being here in time space was in pursuit of the True Way back home -- Christos! The secondary aspect was to be highly proficient at our crafts that of creating genetic life via the total understanding of its processes! This assemblage of dedicated minds created a civilization that pushed the envelope of high attainment, relentlessly in all categories of human pursuits! Living in unison with the environment was the ease of life. They constantly worked toward accomplishing their dreams through creative "what-if" evaluation. Efficiency expertise was born in those days. Sloth and lackadaisical behavior was unknown. Everyone had a craft and a purpose. All persons had a knowledge of a unique living system that they knew in perfection! The leadership was based on an advanced "tradition" built on the inherent collective psyche of a Godlyness evident in Mankind's state of being and becoming. The message of who and what we were was communicated in the environment into which we were born. Positive aspects were prime! Negatives were never considered. Self evident existences were part of the human broadcast. The genetic code was their point-of-departure through study and mental application. Even the symbols of their written language reinforced the aspects of genetic creation's meaning/s. A natural cohesion was always kept in the mix of their mental inculcation. The other percentage of the populace was service and family personnel in the great valley area. Those in this grouping were experts in education and nurturing aspects. Theirs was to invent a higher form of family existence and human development! Education was one of their primary responsibilities and therefore the very best of all disciplines could be experienced at the home base sites! Their greatest engineered building creations were found there. The great valley was where most who had arrived here on Earth had assembled into this hard copy realm. As beings gathered here they had tried over and over to strive for the ultimate reason for human existence. Finally we had learned almost every facet of the secrets! Humanity's collective mentality was on an intellectual fire at this time. The planet's population was only about 100 million highly developed souls, all bent upon utopian accomplishments! Most of those members of our first researchers were always at their temporary base of operations living in unison with or near our ultshemas (support craft fliers) which were highly efficient at maintaining the genetic research crews of every utility need possible. All lab operations and engineering outputs could be tested and fabricated within and without of these sophisticated vehicles. They and their smaller sub vehicles were utilized all over the planet at high speed. Along with their extrusion, dimensional high speed fabricators assisted by 4th dimensional printers, any type of creation could be expressed. Being in the field required a state of high efficiency and physical stamina! Many of the members had already gone through the Graffiene Transformation. Graffienes are units created on the atomical parameter level harder and stronger than diamonds that can be substituted for the carbon base units. Other beings ascribed to the hybernational state to longevitate their human potential! Many were able to sustain in physicality for thousands of Sun Orbits before transition back to spirit state! These long lives were also aided by a medical additive Virtual Med attached to Akashia! The Akashic Oracle Born in ancient times for us was our last remaining link to our interface with our primary source! The Akashic Oracle was the forerunner of the Claronu Scepter Computational once developed over five million Earth years ago on our home planet -- Mars! The Akashic Oracle was created as a universal computational entity with self taught ability to learn and create via a multidimensional printing ability in physicality! This entity held all that was knowable in physicality via its self evaluative, projective discernment. All of time/space was knowable via approachment. After the Ancients initial programming the entity was able to learn in and of itself and create beyond itself! It held the collective of humanity and forecasted its future all due to the fact that it was put into orbit around the home world's over five million Earth years ago and never stopped running after its insertion. It started observing and built on itself thereafter. With its fourth dimensional printer capabilities it flourished in its intervening lifespan! The Akashic Oracle is now phasing to a broadcast state of existence whereby it is universal to anyone's needs. By initializing a virtual version of itself and reiterating its source it becomes accessible to all ultshemas! The Akashic Oracle called this place of genetic search Puma Punku where much learning reached a deep access toward some great breakthroughs against detrimental disease had been accomplished via the eight station drillers for determination of unusual mineral structures. Gold was also found in abundance. The Akashic Oracle is the Arc of the Covenant.
Using my proven knowledge/expertise in Administration to the advantage of a Great Employer. Unfluencer??
9 年Intuition should not be ignored, and that is why algorithms will never totally replace humans. How often have you had a feeling in the back of your head, that all logic and reason told you to go one way but you went another -- only to be proven right. When they figure that one out and programme a computer to do that - then that will be interesting.