Artificial intelligence (AI) is no doubt one of the trendiest technologies nowadays. People using the algorithm to teach intelligent software to learn from known databases and conduct specific tasks. Rather than the tasks carried out by computers, we expect AI to be applied in a broader area and make the machine act as a person (Heath 2018). However, these functions in the general definition of AI are not realized in the current state. Though AI is not highly developed yet, people start to concern about the social issue it brings.
It is reported in August that Youtube’s AI auditing system has judged a robot battle video violated the regulation for its ‘animal cruelty’ (Tangermann 2019). It immediately became a hot topic and caused heated discussion. The doubtful point is, there is no such prohibition of robot battle on Youtube. Then how can AI recognize the video as a violation? Someone brings frightening speculation: AI stopped the violence on its kind.
It is not the first-time people concerned about the empathy of machines. People show a conflict mind-state on this topic. On the one hand, people expect AI to have mimic emotions since it is only believable when it is more humanlike (Wu 2019). On the other hand, when machines have empathy, will they form a sense of outgroup ostracism and even fight against mankind?
Regarding Youtube’s case, the answer is no. AI nowadays doesn’t have the comprehensive ability to regard robot as its fellows (Zhang 2019). In general, what AI can do is what people taught and programmed. If we are able to teach them to act upon others’ emotions, we are also able to program them with law regulations and the attitudes toward human beings. According to Wu, the future of the empathies of AI is based on us (2019).
In conclusion, people’s fervent concern on this topic, in fact, reveals the ‘Identity anxiety’ toward AI inside us. Before the prevalent usage of AI, people should be well educated about its ethical mechanism.
References:
Heath 2018, What is AI? Everything you need to know about Artificial Intelligence, ZDNet, viewed at 11 October 2019, <https://www.zdnet.com/article/what-is-ai-everything-you-need-to-know-about-artificial-intelligence/>
Tangermann 2019, YouTube’s AI Has Been Flagging Robot Battle Videos For ‘Animal Cruelty’, FUTURISM, viewed at 11 October 2019, <https://www.sciencealert.com/youtube-s-ai-algorithm-has-been-removing-robot-battle-videos-for-animal-cruelty>
Wu 2019, Empathy in Artificial Intelligence, Medium, viewed at 11 October 2019, <https://towardsdatascience.com/empathy-in-artificial-intelligence-eb167f62af99>
Zhang 2019, Hidden dangers? The beginning of artificial intelligence should be good, Equalocean, viewed at 11 October 2019, <https://www.iyiou.com/p/111461.html>
Hi Yichen, interesting read! It is quite fascinating how technology has evolved over time isnt it? From the first computer to AI robots that comprehend emotions like humans do. But what if we develop robots that are hard to distinguish from real human in the near future? With the technology advancement of nowadays it is very possible that mankind may achieve a perfect robots that is humanlike. Will our society turn into a place where robots and humans together? Or maybe even falling in love may be possible. This reminds me of Alita, a movie featuring a female cyborg falling in love with a human boy. Oke technically she is a fuse of human and machine but even so. These fictional cyborgs or robots may become reality in the near future and given that humanity is so getting used to the current technology. We might not be able to live without robots in the future. They will simply become one of us.
Hi Yichen, thank you for this interesting blog! The future of AI always intrigues me! It is worth noticing that there are two trends concerning people’s imagination for the future application of AI. One trend is that AI can collect information and make deduction or prediction without being influenced or blinded by emotions, like we humans do. There is a Japanese TV series named Your Turn to Kill in which AI made the right yet unexpected prediction that the innocent-looking young female college student is actually the cruel serial killer. In that TV series, the police is planning to utilise AI in investigations in the following years since it will make the right conclusion without being disturbed by appearances and emotions. On the other hand, the other trend of imagination is that AI becomes infinitely human-like until they really become or even replace us, like the TV series Love, Death, and Robots suggested. I agree with you that people are so anxious about the future of AI and are actually because they are so anxious about their own identities. It is interesting that the fear of AI came at the same time when we first utilised it, and the discussion and debate still continues.