Machine or human: could you tell?

Back in March, Facebook CTO Mike Schroepfer identified Artificial Intelligence (AI) as one of the social network’s three big bets on the future alongside virtual reality and connectivity. I also recently watched the movie “Ex Machina”, Alex Garland’s AI fueled thriller and saw this post as an opportunity to explore the future of machine learning.

Machine or Human?

How do we know if we are speaking to a machine rather than a human? Do automated voices or stereotyped responses give machines away? Think about Siri and why it makes you feel that you are speaking to a computer. What would need to change to make it feel more human?

In a world overwhelmed by cyber security threats, increased data breaches and ongoing debate over NSA monitoring, preparing for an artificial intelligence attack isn’t at the top of the security agenda. However when Stephen Hawking, Bill Gates and Elon Musk all bring attention to the possible dangers that artificial intelligence could pose it makes sense to take notice.

Hawking stated that the full development of artificial intelligence could “spell the end of the human race.” Pioneer behind PayPal and Tesla, Elon Musk claims artificial intelligence is our “biggest existential threat.” When questioned on machines evolving beyond human control Bill Gates says he is “concerned” of the potential impact. Alex Garland director and writer of  “Ex Machina” brings to life some of the potential dangers of artificial intelligence through his sci-fi thriller. 

Ex Machina 

The movie is based on Caleb, a 26-year-old coder at the world’s largest interest company. He wins a competition to spend a week at a private mountain retreat belonging to Nathan, the reclusive CEO of the company. But when Caleb arrives at the remote location he finds that he will have to participate in a strange experiment in which he must interact with the world’s first true artificial intelligence, housed in the body of a robot girl. The premise of the movie is the Turing test, named after Alan Turing. The test of a machine’s ability to exhibit intelligent behavior equivalent to, or indistinguishable from, that of a human. Alan Turing in his 1950 paper “Computing Machinery and Intelligence” opens by  “I propose to consider the question, ‘Can machines think?’”

Would you hire a robot? Would robots hire you?

Already our cities, streets and homes are inundated with robots and last year they got promoted to the boardroom. Japanese venture capital firm Deep Knowledge named an artificial intelligence to its board of directors. The robot, named Vital was chosen for its ability to observe market trends ‘not immediately obvious to humans.’ Vital carries equal clout and has already helped make two major investment decisions in life science companies Pathway Pharmaceuticals and InSilico Medicine. The vision for the future is to enhance Vital to the stage where it can operate autonomously when making investment decisions.

The fear instilled by artificial intelligence stems from the ability of machines to take autonomous action without human intervention. Looking away from the extreme cases presented in “Ex Machina” (barely avoiding a spoiler) a more business-based and immediate discussion point for concern would be the relationship between artificial intelligence and the job market. 

Predictions have been made that up to 50% of jobs could be automated and taken over by computers by 2033. For example FedEx “hope that by 2020 they will have a pilot center with three or four pilots that fly the FedEx fleet (of hundreds of planes) around the country,” said Frank Tobe, editor and publisher of The Robot Report. Dmitry Grishin, CEO of Russian tech giant Mail.Ru Group said “I invested in one company that uses robots to teach mathematics in schools.”

Does it take a human design a message that will influence a purchasing decision? Apparently not. Persado, a natural language software firm analyses data with semantic algorithms to determine what subject lines will get the best response. Reports suggest doctors, lawyers and financial reports could lose their jobs.

Living a movie 

Technology is getting to the point where we feel like we are living in the movies. With drones flying in the sky to robot board members, we are moving incredibly fast. If you have not seen Ex Machina then make sure you do because whether robots will take our lives or jobs it seems like that they will be after something. It makes you think – are they then just a reflection of their creator?

What do you think about the future of artificial intelligence? Please share thoughts and other case studies.