The Age of AI: How Far Is Too Far?

Let's take a break from talking about the Coronavirus to talk about something else that will affect the global population. 

Of course, it's the pace of innovation and the effects of AI. I've been on the record for years saying things like

• AI will transform the planet much like electricity did
• Data will be more valuable than oil 
• And, the only thing more impressive than our population growth is our technology growth 
• Or, from the precautionary side, Artificial intelligence isn't a substitute for lack of the real thing

It can be difficult to have a nuanced discussion around AI online. There's a lot of PopSci around it, people conflate a very diverse range of algorithms and intentions into the general "AI", and realistically when you get too in-depth into what algorithms are best for what problems, most people lose interest. 

That's why I'm personally a proponent of any discussions around AI. Awareness is important, and if more people can understand the basics, then some subset of them will become better educated... rinse and repeat. 

Robert Downey Jr. and YouTube partnered for an 8-part docuseries on the Age of AI. I've only watched one episode, but that episode did a decent job of addressing the highest-level issues with AI. 

 

via YouTube Originals

I won't go through the whole video with you - because  you're quarantined and I think it's worth watching, but there are a couple of points I wanted to re-emphasize. 

Your Data Is Becoming More Important, Not Less Important

"Everyone's concerned about identity theft. Meanwhile, they're giving all their data for free on the internet. I'm what I like. I'm what I don't like. I'm where I go, I'm who I know. I'm what I search. I'm my thumbprint. I am my data" - will.i.am

My son, Zach, has ultimately given up on privacy - his argument is that everyone's information is out there anyway. Even my eldest son, Ben, who is a cybersecurity expert, has semi-resigned himself to his data being out there. He takes many precautionary measures but recognizes that he's not truly anonymous. 

In the video, Will.I.Am is getting an authentic reproduction of his face, mannerisms, and voice - they even got the pimple he had during the day of filming. In doing so, he specifically asks for the voice to be a bit robotic. He does this "for his mom" but in reality, it's to make clear - this is a robot, not me. It's avoiding the Uncanny Valley. 

We're at an intersection where it's going to become harder to decide what's real and what's fake. With deepfake video and audio, protecting your personal brand and identity becomes difficult, and simultaneously more important. 

The Path Forward

The road to AI supremacy is long and fraught with booby traps, potential missteps, and ethical issues. Questions like "how far is too far?" will have to be answered, and countries will likely strive to unite around shared rules of ethical AI. 

If there's anything that makes me confident about our ability to successfully travel that road, it's looking at humanity's ability to adapt. The reality is, we've been working symbiotically with "machines" since the very beginning, but our definition of the machine simply continues to improve. It's fractal, and each time the technology we're adopting gets bigger, so does the eventual positive effect on day to day life. 

AI adoption is a big step, but the positive effect it can have on our lives is astronomical. 

Onwards!