A philosophy professor from Yale University said that if machines have consciousness, then from a moral perspective, we should not turn them off. In other words, if something is conscious, even if it is a machine, it has moral rights, and turning it off is equivalent to murder. Oh my! Imagine you could be sentenced to prison for unplugging a computer. Should we be worried about this?
· First Law: A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
· Second Law: A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
· Third Law: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
In this seemingly bright technological era, can we really be sure that life is getting better? As AI quietly slips into our world like a ghost, it feels as if we are being ruthlessly pushed toward an unknown abyss by an invisible hand.
We once fantasized that artificial intelligence would become a powerful assistant to humanity, leading us toward the stars and the sea. However, today it feels more like a terrifying nightmare. Humanity may ultimately become a vassal or even a pet of artificial intelligence. That so-called superintelligent machine is likely to become the terminator of human civilization, yet we naively believe we can control it.
Life has different stages:
From life 1.0, which relies entirely on evolution for everything,
To life 2.0, which can autonomously design some software,
To life 3.0, which can fully autonomously design hardware and software in our imagination—are we really making progress?
Or are we taking steps toward the abyss of destruction? The beautiful fantasies of those digital utopians seem so pale and powerless in the face of harsh reality; the deep concerns of technological skeptics are slowly becoming reality; and the voices of supporters of beneficial AI movements are ruthlessly drowned out by the surging tide of technology.
Can quantum computers, this seemingly magical concept, really bring benefits to humanity? Or will they become the last straw that breaks us? When they communicate with "themselves" in parallel universes, where will we, the humans trapped in the real world, go?
In this era, where do we, as humans, find our value?
The self-worth we once cherished has been shattered under the violent impact of technology. The values that once secured us job opportunities are gradually disappearing amidst the roar of machines controlled by artificial intelligence. The advancement of technology, like a cold-blooded executioner, has severed our close ties to the past, pushing us to the edge of a desperate cliff. Language ability? Guess why it’s called a "large language model"?
We cannot guarantee the stability of AI systems; they can crash, fail, or be hacked at any moment, throwing our lives into chaos. The existing legal system has long been riddled with holes under the powerful impact of the digital world, failing to provide us with effective protection. The emergence of smart weapons has made war increasingly brutal, with innocent civilians becoming victims, while we can only stand by helplessly. The development of automation has robbed people of their sources of income and life goals; behind the facade of prosperity lies the hollow, vacant eyes and desperate souls of countless individuals.
Looking back at human history, what have we gained from the invention of fire and automobiles? Endless disasters and suffering. Fire extinguishers and seat belts, these so-called "remedies," are merely closing the barn door after the horse has bolted, unable to recover the precious lives lost and the shattered families. And now, with technology becoming increasingly powerful, we have reached the edge of a cliff, where even a small mistake could lead to the destruction of the entire world.
Imagining how horse-drawn carriages evolved into cars is not difficult. However, the real significant impact of automation is actually the secondary effects brought about by the invention of the automobile. For example, traffic jams, the resulting rush hour, and the emergence of drive-in theaters are all secondary effects. At the beginning of a new thing's emergence, it is difficult for us to predict which aspects its impact will touch upon.
What if there are still some people who never use AI? How would their lives differ? Or among AI users, how would communication differ from how we interact now? Surely AI will also manifest in different levels; will there be some connection between different levels of AI? I often find myself curiously imagining these scenarios, feeling that many interesting things will happen.
What kind of employment advice should we give to children? Can jobs that machines are not good at really help them survive in the future world? Social intelligence, creativity, the ability to cope with unpredictable environments—do these still hold meaning in front of machines? Perhaps one day, machines will learn everything, and humanity will be ruthlessly abandoned.
The following three criteria may serve as standards for education:
◦ Does this job require interaction with people and the use of social intelligence?
◦ Does this job involve creativity and allow you to come up with clever solutions?
◦ Does this job require you to work in unpredictable environments?
The famous Austrian-British philosopher Karl Popper once said a widely circulated maxim: "If a theory is not falsifiable, then it is not scientific."
Consciousness, once something we took pride in, has now become vague and elusive. We have lost our way in the maze of technology, unable to find any exit. The philosopher's famous words cannot illuminate our path in this dark age.
Creating machines with human intelligence feels like opening Pandora's box. The mysteries of the brain remain largely unsolved, yet we have already fallen into an inextricable predicament. The moment Deep Blue defeated a human chess player seemed like a ruthless mockery and trampling of human wisdom. From now on, we are entering the era of "immersive computing." Everything around us must be connected to computation, marking the so-called era of "ubiquitous computing."
The first major platform is the internet, which digitizes information, subjecting knowledge to the power of algorithms; the second major platform is social media, primarily operating on mobile phones, which digitizes people, subjecting human behavior and relationships to the power of algorithms.
The internet and social media, these two seemingly great platforms, tightly bind us in the cage of algorithms. Our information, behavior, and relationships are firmly controlled, turning us into pawns of tech giants. In the future world, the hyperlinked connection between objects and physical networks may bring even more disasters, while we can only watch helplessly as everything unfolds.
In this so-called "progressive utopia" era, we see no glimmer of hope. Tomorrow will not be as beautiful as we imagine; it will only be worse than today. Innovation? That is merely a game for a few, while the majority can only struggle in the quagmire of failure. Silicon Valley's "fail fast" mentality, in my view, is just a form of helpless self-mockery. The tolerance for failure in Asian countries cannot change the brutal oppression of technology on humanity. What worries me more is that young people in their twenties will have to compete for jobs with seventy, eighty, or even hundred-year-olds. I am most concerned about how young people in their twenties can outperform seventy, eighty, or even hundred-year-olds to find jobs, that is, how to ensure young people have job opportunities.
What can we change by experiencing poverty? In the face of the surging tide of technology, our efforts seem so small and insignificant. "Constantly questioning"? That is merely humanity's last struggle; the answers from machines have already occupied our minds, and our ability to think is gradually deteriorating until it disappears completely.
The new cortex of the human brain, this mysterious organ, cannot save us either. We still do not fully understand its functions and structures. The shortsighted behaviors of the old brain, combined with the technologies created by the new cortex, are pushing humanity to the brink of extinction.
We are trapped in this fragile body, controlled by the ignorant old brain, unable to break free. If we were free from the constraints of the body, would we gain freedom? Perhaps that would just be another form of imprisonment. When the solar system is destroyed, everything we have will turn to nothingness; those so-called legacies are merely our final self-mockery and sorrow.
I do not intend to elaborate on all of history; I only want to describe a few key moments, when we made significant leaps in our understanding of the brain, as if nature whispered to us some previously overlooked truths. There are three such "epiphany" moments that I remember vividly. I call them my three discoveries.
The first discovery: The neocortex learns predictive models of the world.
The second discovery: Predictions occur within neurons.
The third discovery: The key to the neocortex is the reference frame.
I believe that handheld computers should primarily be used for accessing information, not for creating information; that is my answer.
In this endless darkness, we see not a glimmer of light. The development of technology has plunged humanity into an unprecedented predicament. Where do we go from here? Perhaps all that awaits us is destruction, only endless darkness and despair.
Nightly industrial revolutions, daily renaissances.
Compared to the unchanging, I prefer this anxiety-inducing speed.
If the solar system were to explode tomorrow, these plaques, photos, and records would be the only evidence of life on Earth. They would be our only legacy.
References:#
"Life 3.0"
"AI 3.0"
"The World After 5000 Days"
"How to Create Trustworthy AI"
"Thousand-Brain Intelligence"
Reading List:#
Jackywine's reading list "2023 Understanding AI You Need This Reading List!"