The logical conclusion

There is a fundamental difference between computing technology and us humans, at least for a while. One is based upon logic and we are not. Never confuse humans with logic, we are simply not geared up, however well we may think we may be, to make logical decisions. There are too many hormones and emotions to get in the way. 

Yet everyday we hear how our computers are getting closer and closer to behaving as humans do. I hope not as we already have enough humans to do what we can do. We need machines to be able to do what we can’t and often they are very good at it. Carrying out repetitive tasks without a break and with extreme accuracy is something that machines are good at. Working in dangerous or hazardous places, such as the sea floor or in space is another.

But we must be careful when it comes to asking machines to think for us. The rise of so-called artificial intelligence, whilst offering huge opportunities has the possibility of wiping humanity off the face of the earth, forever.

You see the software in itself is not benign, it knows nothing other than what it has been told to look out for and what to ignore. Someone has to program this in. The software does not know if what it is doing is good or bad, it just is. But of course we will ensure that all of the algorithms include a way to protect humanity and keep us safe, to pull back from the brink before it causes irreparable damage. Just like HAL in 2001 A Space Odyssey, there will be an off switch or we can pull out the memory banks.

Yet the most dangerous animal on the planet is the human. The biggest threat to any of us is the rest of humanity in that we kill, steal and let each other starve. Man has been responsible for the death of more species than any other creature that has existed. 

So faced with a decision to protect us the only logical conclusion that any AI can reach is to stop us from doing anything. We must be caged and fed on nutrients to keep us healthy. We must become part of a selective breeding programme to ensure the continuation of the species and we must be prevented from thinking as to think is dangerous. We come up with too many crazy schemes.

The logical conclusion of AI is to prevent humans from existing as we are too great a threat to humanity.