Physical Attraction5 Dec 2017

TEOTWAWKI: The Singularity, Part II

Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk, Martin Rees... all have warned about the risk from Artificial Intelligence. Centres like the Future of Humanity Institute in Oxford, and the Centre for Existential Risk at Cambridge, rate the risk from artificial intelligence as way up there on the scale of potential human apocalypses. But it won't look like killer terminator-robots. We are standing on the precipice of a future that's almost impossible to comprehend. Will it be possible to survive?

In this episode, we'll talk about why people are afraid that this explosion in technology could lead to the end of the world. Pictures of killer Terminators need not apply; instead, we're discussing the philosophical and ethical problems that come with artificial intelligence that could exceed the capacity of humans. How can we be sure that it has the same values as us? How can we be sure that it even understands the value of human life at all? Why are people so afraid of such a miraculous technology? And is there anything we can do to ensure that it will be used as a tool rather than taking over entirely?

Hit us up on Twitter @physicspod if your brain hasn't yet been uploaded to a computer and you still need to use a pesky keyboard interface in meatspace to interact. There, you can donate to the show (in fiat currency, not bitcoin, although I'll take some if you have any going.) Like and review us on iTunes, which will help their 'artificially intelligent' algorithms serve up this show to more consumer human robo-droids. Until next time, stay safe.

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