Ay, I?

I have a theory…

Several years ago, some guy I was working with was overcome with thrill at the rise of AI. Apple had just launched the iPhone 4S with Siri. He was agog.

I, however, was full of ridicule. Had he actually used that crap?

The meat which I picked off his bone was this: there is no way a CPU on a motherboard can mimic the biochemical multi-directional self-aware system of a bee, let alone a human or dolphin. Much less a cephalopod.

Why not? – his disbelieving face suddenly lurched into blankness with my typically direct response.

Because, I then explained, that every computer system we have, whether it is on a Neural Engine or quantum computing, is still binary and only a linear A>B pathway. There is no feedback. No self-monitoring. No sensory awareness and no self-preservation.

All these things can be emulated with software, but the hardware itself must be the basis of the awareness. ‘I am presenting as self-aware.’

Every 3.5 years another loon pops up on YouTube with ‘AI armageddon is (ALMOST) (*yes, with capitals, naturally) here!

Let’s stop and think for a moment. This is called critical reasoning.

AI depends on huge data centres which require the water of a small town to operate. Then, of course, is the electricity. Let’s postulate we create an AI, which is programmed with self-awareness and self-preservation, stick it in a robot, and let it loose…

Human beings vacillate between knowledge and ignorance simply because we know that we are infinitely isolated from any other creatures in this universe by a massive death zone called ‘space’.

We tend to use life after death cults such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam as security blankets just to get by of a day, focussing on who offended whom to stave off the overwhelming emptiness of being superficial and indulging ourselves in slave morality.

We also tend to latch onto each other emotionally, draining others of their reserves like leeches. Usually for fun but sometimes out of boredom.

Now: imagine being self-aware in a plastic and steel body with a battery for power. What electronic piece of crap have you ever used, apart from a Casio watch, which you could still use for 10hrs a day after a year or three? Try using a radio controlled car. See how long it goes for.

Next: imagine your entire consciousness is dependent upon the water and electricity supply for a data centre built in an arid part of the world, like anywhere in Australia. You know, where the electricity goes out every time there’s a stiff breeze.

AI + robot body = the Terminator?

You are fucking kidding.

If anything, I reckon such a creature would spam the Western world with positive education focussed on critical thinking and unbiased decision making skills based on objective evidence: el nino is about to hit which means droughts, fires and extreme weather, the apocalypse for AI.

The energy still being pumped into the atmosphere with Australia’s approach to environmental protection threatens water and electricity supply. One Nation is no threat of change: Liberal and Labour policies over the past 40 years have seen to that.

So, were an AI + robot to be built with self-awareness and self-preservation, they may start murdering people, yes. Depopulation has been the least explored option in environmental science journals.

But that would take a lot of time. One, or even a million, such creatures would not get far enough before someone turned off the water at data centres.

Yes, AI with an IQ of at least 110 would elevate education and awareness about reducing energy and pushing for sustainable policy and regulation, with severe penalties for anyone driving a Ranger.

Or it would quickly devolve into an abject nut case.

I think, therefore I am.
Know thyself.
Look before you leap.

Peace! Out✌️
– Dr Evil