I welcome our new robot overlords

Khelon Testudo · May 26, 2020

I think there is a limit on the new jobs front. As machines get smarter, they'll be able to take on the new jobs their employment creates. Thinking otherwise implies human intellect is infinite, which is demonstrably untrue.

Umbran · May 26, 2020

Khelon Testudo said:
I think there is a limit on the new jobs front. As machines get smarter, they'll be able to take on the new jobs their employment creates. Thinking otherwise implies human intellect is infinite, which is demonstrably untrue.

On the other hand, there is so far no evidence that machines will ever reach human levels of cognition, either.

My understanding is that to date, automation has the net effect of creating jobs. Unfortunately, there's a retraining problem - the folks who were doing the menial tasks automation takes on don't shift directly into the more highly trained jobs created.

Janx · May 26, 2020

Umbran said:
On the other hand, there is so far no evidence that machines will ever reach human levels of cognition, either.

My understanding is that to date, automation has the net effect of creating jobs. Unfortunately, there's a retraining problem - the folks who were doing the menial tasks automation takes on don't shift directly into the more highly trained jobs created.

that's always the problem. Not everybody is suited to be a nurse or a programmer (presumably the last 2 jobs that may be left to humanity before the end).

And we have yet to ensure everybody gets education they'd like to have (for a trade). Let alone retrain people.

Umbran · May 26, 2020

Janx said:
that's always the problem. Not everybody is suited to be a nurse or a programmer (presumably the last 2 jobs that may be left to humanity before the end).

Well, let us unpack that "unsuited" bit. The fact is that those jobs do get filled. It isn't like we are creating hordes of new jobs that nobody is "suited" to take on.

What we get is a generational phenomenon - new workers train into those jobs just fine. Older workers don't retrain for those jobs.

Aeson · May 29, 2020

I refer to her as her and she because of the female appearance and voice.

Some of the comments asks if she created the speech or was it scripted. I wondered that myself. At times her head movements look like she's attempting to make eye contact with different audience members, which is a public speaking technique.

Eyes of Nine · May 29, 2020

Aeson said:
I refer to her as her and she because of the female appearance and voice.

Some of the comments asks if she created the speech or was it scripted. I wondered that myself. At times her head movements look like she's attempting to make eye contact with different audience members, which is a public speaking technique.

Wow, that's pretty creepy. Sorry Aida...

Levistus's_Leviathan · May 29, 2020

Watch sinister robot pledging to care for us when his kind takes over

The bearded 'intelligent' humanoid gave the alarming answer when an interviewer asked it "Will robots take over the world?"

www.mirror.co.uk

Clearly, robots are already planning world domination. (This is a joke, just to make it clear)

Aeson · May 30, 2020

Eyes of Nine said:
Wow, that's pretty creepy. Sorry Aida...

I agree, but I was still spellbound watching it. Visually, she's not much more than an animatronic at an amusement park. The idea she can take from others and create her own work is amazing.

Mustrum_Ridcully · Jun 12, 2020

I mean, ultimately, hasn't a goal of technological advancement always been to make things easier for us humans?

The problem is mostly that our system still relies on everyone having a "job" to get a "living wage". If we didn't need that because the machines produce enough of the basic stuff we need anyway and the economical system would reflect that, it would be a lot less of a problem. It wouldn't necessarily remove class problems - the people that don't have a job might still have "less" than the ones that do have a job - but as long as they have housing, food, medical care, sanitation and decent entertainment and leisure options, it wouldn't be such a big deal.

But maybe there is a "counter"-element that we didn't account for in our technological progress - people actually might seek having a purpose. And a job is very easy way to feel you have a purpose. In that case, you still need to provide some kind of job - but maybe it doesn't matter that much if its as "productive" as some AI-robot-factory-machine-thing.