Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 50 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
Rise of The Machine
Artificial intelligence, or AI, has taken center stage in cultural conversations. We were discussing AI during my classes in the 1990s. But in the 21st century, AI has taken on a life of its own – literally. Here is what I mean.
You may have heard of AI but the expanded idea from the 1990s to today is something called “transhumanism.” A transhumanist is a person who believes the human species can evolve past our physical and intellectual limitations through technological breakthroughs. Some actually believe transhumanism can lead humans to become God.
The following quotes come from the essay “Rage Against the Machine” at The Free Press, noted at the end of this Truth in Two. Transhumanist Martine Rothblatt says that by building AI systems, “we are making God.” Transhumanist Elise Bohan says, “we are building God.” Futurist Kevin Kelly believes that “we can see more of God in a cell phone than in a tree frog.” “Does God exist?” asks transhumanist and Google maven Ray Kurzweil. “I would say, ‘Not yet.’ ”
I have been having fun with MidJourney, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) art generator. I create many of my post images using it. Good times.
Lately, I keep getting a request to leave a rating for a service or product … for everything. Window cleaning, dryer repair, ordered a candle, ordered some olive oil, clothing, dentist visit, eye exam, routine doctor visit, drugstore purchase, etc. Immediately on the same day, I am asked to complete a survey … for everything I am doing or wherever I have made a purchase.
My phone buzzed while my watch thumped my wrist. I was in a meeting and so made a surreptitious glance at my wrist. My wife was calling and I declined the call, knowing that if it was urgent she would either leave a message or send me a text. The text came through a few minutes later, asking if I wanted to join her for lunch. I waited until the meeting had ended, and until I had taken care of other business that had piled up, before finally messaging her back about when I would be free. We had our lunch date, but as we were leaving I pulled out my phone to check on my work emails, and there on the lock screen was a “Siri Suggestion” that I return my wife’s call from an hour and half before. Siri is a brilliant idiot. Brilliant enough to guess that I should probably call my wife back, then put that as a suggestion right on the lock screen, but idiotic enough to not know that the suggestion was unwelcome and unnecessary.
