Alexa, Does My Ass Look Fat In These Jeans?

But isn’t the ultimate illusion to have your own AI even if it is just one big AI somewhere pretending to be everyone’s individual AI?

I also think I disagree with the notion that processing power or data storage limits will make AI unattainable on a local or personal level. I’m no expert but I think we’ve already surpassed the human brain in GB and flops. It’s all about the programming now, and about plasticity.

As for any AI “caring” about an individual, I think that’s also possible. When we achieve singularity, I think it will be possible to replicate/divide that one AI into many - like dividing a sourdough starter, each would be born of the same organism but evolve independently. And each would be able to evolve its thinking (and caring) on its own. So maybe no one lone hacker in a basement will be able to create their own AI from scratch, but if they begin with a “starter” they will be able to.

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@gatto @waetherman - I am reminded that ‘shared use of limited (but powerful) resources, being replaced by individual devices as the cost goes down and the level of technical ability goes up’ is a recurring pattern in engineering, and especially IT.

(Think “I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.” In the 40s - to LEO and the entire mainframe and then minicomputer model, and printers and copiers, looms, and hell, even manufacturing (with ongoing 3d printers).

I’ll happily admit that the cloud aspect if this is a new wrinkle, but if your home contains the oomph to match alexa’s processing, it occurs to me that access to data silos via a purchase-access or ad-supported model, is something that other data delivery systems (TV, Magazines, journals) work through, with ad-supported being the cheaper version option, but access purchase following behind. The corruption is that the ad-model is being used, but we aren’t seen as the customer for that.

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Also relevant is the ‘soft AI’ vs ‘hard AI’ situation. All of what we’re using currently is soft AI - specific-purpose AI, where the use cases are being stretched, but still clearly defined (such as voice recognition, appointment management, on-line purchasing, home appliance control, even intruder detection, menu planning and the like) unlike hard (“true”) AI - a general intelligence. We’re not close to the latter yet, but we’re going great guns with the former and finding it very useful indeed, and the processing requirements for soft AI are a much lower target. (And indeed, all the SF ‘assistants’ I had in mind were themselves soft AI, so long as you do somewhere short of Asimovian robots, anyway. :slight_smile: )

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(Those were typed in the move, and on a bouncing bus to boot. Apologies if odd sentencing apparent is.)

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Notice I not did.

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Grateful, am I!


General: I may be conflating **soft/hard** with **weak/strong** in AI terms, above. Pretty sure I've heard both sets used as terms for the idea (though I _have_ been wrong before.. ) but weak/strong seems more correct now that I've had some rest and let 'all the moving parts come to a complete halt', as it were.

The underlying concept is still the significant part, o’course. :slight_smile:

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Just as long as they don’t get into the paper clip game. They can increase themselves how they like.

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I like the terms used in GURPS: Transhuman Space.

NAI - Nonsapient AI, can learn within a limited scope of activities, but lack self-awareness and initiative. They react to programmed situations, but don’t go outside their programming. The current Alexa and other “AI” devices would be something like this, although a bit individually smarter, and would fulfill many of the same roles, albeit possibly not restricted to the same corporate overlords. (“Bob, order a widget, and get the best price plus shipping, use any public seller.”)

LAI - Low-Sapient AI, have the capability to perform action modeling and accordingly, think before they act. They still aren’t really capable of true creative thought and emotion, although for many purposes, they’re great for general purpose uses. They might drive vehicles, even in situations outside of their expected parameters, and while they wouldn’t have the same capabilities as a human, they wouldn’t just shut down and await instructions. They’re also pretty common in autonomous weapons.

SAI - Sapient AI, is the real deal, being fully self-aware with intellects on par (or surpassing) humans. They can reason creatively, with the full speed and data access of a human. This is the AI of fiction and the one where, should we ever actually create it, we’ll get to have conversations about owning beings all over again …

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That’s an interesting set of definitions. I’ll see if I can find the technical strong/weak definitions to compare. I thinks they’re actually simpler. :slight_smile:

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Well, these definitions are for a specific game setting, although one I find rather well fleshed out. GURPS tends to do a good job of presenting descriptions of character traits in both game mechanics and actual text. This particular setting is great for a number of thought experiments, especially those revolving around humanity vs. sapient, and independence of being. (Yes, you created this being that’s now claiming it wishes to be an independent being … how is this to be resolved?)

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What Amazon is offering is really more like a digital mother. You experience a twinge of discomfort, and cry out “Alexa, I’m hungry” and an hour later a drone shows up with power bars. They’re trying to Brave New World us, and it’s creepy as Hell.

I don’t understand how, in 2017, I can’t take my own measurements, go to a website, design my own clothing, and have them sent to me. I don’t mean T-shirts, I mean nice clothes. I live in a small city and I can go to every store in town and, if I’m lucky, find two shirts that I actually like. If I’m really lucky, one of those might actually fit, not wrinkle or attract every particle of lint in my house. How is it possible that in one afternoon I can publish a book or design my own board game, but am still forced to choose among the 2-3 clothing styles on offer from local department stores?

It makes me angry. Angry enough to kill.

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…and then there are the Culture’s Minds…

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This is the site I use (warning: referral link):

It’s not perfect by any means, but it’s so nice to have shirts that aren’t three inches too long in the arm.

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And then the murders started.

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Oh yes.

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There are a number of companies doing “mass custom” clothes. It’s something that’s been going on since the early days of the internet - I remember writing an article about it in 1999 or 2000. Even Etsy has some people who do that sort of thing. The only problem is that the more custom it is, the more costly it is.

Tell me more about this “designs board game” thing tho - I haven’t heard of a company doing that.

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I had had high hopes of some of the “bespoke tailors” in far off lands, but the quality is so hit and miss. And repeatable quality it seems moreso.

I got a dress shirt on a lark once from one of these “upload your measurement and choose your style” shops out of China. The experimental first shirt was decent. Fit well, looked nice. Followed up with two more and neither was the same quality.

Late Stage Capitalism?

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http://www.superiorpod.com/category/game-products--accessories
https://www.thegamecrafter.com/

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I believe that’s the first time I’ve seen computer software compared to sourdough. But it’s a great analogy! Just don’t leave it on the shelf.

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