9694 thinking skills ai

 Artificialintelligence (AI) is the intelligence
of machines and robots and the branch of
computer science that aims to create it. AI
textbooks define the field as "the study and
design of intelligent agents"[1] where an
intelligent agent is a system that perceives its
environment and takes actions that maximize
its chances of success.[2] John McCarthy, who
coined the term in 1956,[3] defines it as "the
science and engineering of making intelligent
machines."[4]

 THE TURING TEST
 For many people the phrase machine intelligence is an oxymoron. Machines by their nature
are typically regarded as unintelligent and unthinking. How could a mere machine
demonstrate actual intelligence? Turing believed that computing machines could be
intelligent but was concerned that our judgments of the intelligence of such machines would
be influenced by our biases and previous experiences with the limitations of machines. In
his seminal article, "Computing Machinery and Intelligence" (1950), Turing considered the
question "Can machines think?" but did so by replacing that question with another. The
replacement question is explained in terms of a game that he calls "the imitation game."
The imitation game is played by a man (A), a woman (B), and a human interrogator (C). The
interrogator is in a room apart from the other two and tries to determine through
conversation which of the other two is the man and which is the woman. Turing suggested
that a teleprinter be used to communicate to avoid giving the interrogator clues through
tones of voice. In the game the man may engage in deception in order to encourage the
interrogator to misidentify him as the woman. The man may lie about his appearance and
preferences. Turing believed that the woman's best strategy in the game is to tell the truth.
 After he explained how the imitation game is played in terms of a man, a woman, and a
human interrogator, Turing introduced his replacement question(s). Turing said, "We now
ask the question, 'What will happen when a machine takes the part of A in this game?' Will
the interrogator decide wrongly as often when the game is played like this as he does when
the game is played between a man and a woman? These questions replace our original,
'Can machines think?'" (Turing, 1950, p. 434). Although his proposed version of the
imitation game, now called the Turing test, may seem straightforward, many questions have
been raised about how to interpret it.

 10: Taming the Weather
 Meteorologists analyze large volumes of data in
order to predict the weather, and even the most
experienced weatherman isn't always accurate.
Soon, scientists may be able to predict the weather
better by using artificial intelligence software,
which can sift through complex data and spot
patterns missed by the human eye. When this
software sees a big storm coming, it will
automatically issue alerts to warn residents and
the media, and this may help save lives [source:
Association for the Advancement of Artificial
Intelligence].

 : Tackling Dangerous (or Boring) Tasks
 If you have a robotic vacuum cleaner in your home, you're already
taking advantage of artificial intelligence to tackle one of life's more
tedious tasks. These devices not only clean your floor according to
schedule, but are also able to maneuver around obstacles like stairs,
furniture and even the cat. Facilities with large turf areas, like golf
courses, rely on similar technology to mow their lawns without the
need for human intervention [source: Lombardi]. The same
technology may soon allow robots to perform boring or repetitive
tasks along an assembly line, or even sort trash and recycling at
waste processing centers.
 Artificial intelligence may also allow machines to perform tasks too
dangerous for humans, such as mining or firefighting. Some
countries have already put smart robots to work disabling land mines
and even handling radioactive materials in order to limit the risk to
human workers

 8: Saving the Planet
 With artificial intelligence, scientists may soon be able to use robots
or other devices to clean up the environment and reduce the effects
of air and water pollution. Advanced software programs will allow
these machines to distinguish between biological organisms and
potential pollutants like oil or hazardous waste. Tiny microbes will
consume waste products and leave good biological matter intact,
minimizing damage to the ecosystem.
 Smart software can also limit the effects of air pollution from
manufacturing and industrial processes. As factories burn fuel, they
release byproducts in the form of carbon dioxide and other gases.
Some of these factories already use artificial intelligence programs to
identify patterns during combustion and modify manufacturing
processes to minimize pollution. Others rely on this software to
capture dangerous chemicals before they enter the smokestack and
end up in the air outside [source: U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency].

 7: Driverless Transport
 Imagine cars that warn you of potential obstacles to help you avoid
accidents, or even allow you to sit back and take in the sites as they
drive themselves. Artificial intelligence may soon make all this
possible, using cameras, sensors and special software built into the
vehicle. Manufacturers already rely on this technology to make
backing up and parking safer, while both the Toyota Prius and certain
Lexus models can self-park at the touch of a button [source:
Brandon].
 Driverless trains carry passengers from city to city in Japan without
the need for human help, and self-driving cars may be closer than
you think. In 2010, Google began testing its own line of driverless
cars, which rely on lasers and sensors to spot obstacles, interpret
signs and interact with traffic and pedestrians. Artificial intelligence
not only takes the responsibility away from the driver, but also
eliminates the danger of distracted driving and boasts a reaction time
much faster than that of any human [source: Markoff].

 6: Pushing the Limits of Space Exploration
 In the near future, advances in artificial intelligence will allow
scientists to travel well beyond the limits of 20th-century space travel
and explore more of the universe beyond our solar system. Today,
NASA relies on unmanned shuttles to explore distant galaxies that
would take years for humans to reach. Driverless land rovers also
allow researchers to explore and photograph Mars and other
planets, where inhospitable conditions make human exploration
impossible. These smart vehicles sense obstacles, like craters, and
find safe paths of travel around them before returning to the shuttle
[source: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory].
 Artificial intelligence technology will also help scientists react more
quickly to emergencies during manned flights. For example, a radio
message from Mars takes roughly 11 minutes to reach Earth. Rather
than waiting for advice from scientists on the ground when trouble
arises, astronauts will work with onboard software systems to spot
and prevent problems before they happen [source: Bluck].

 5: Protect Your Finances
 As of 2010, roughly half of world stock trades are driven by
artificial intelligence-based software. These programs rely on
algorithms to spot patterns in the market and predict price
changes based on these patterns [source: Association for the
Advancement of Artificial Intelligence]. Some can even buy or
sell shares based on these predictions, while others issue an
alert to human brokers and advise them of the changes to
come. This technology results in better performance and
improved returns for investors.
 Artificial intelligence software may soon be able to protect
consumers from fraud by spotting changes in spending or
credit card use. If cards are lost or accounts are breached, the
program can shut down the account and alert the holder of a
potential problem to help limit losses.

 4: Staying Safe
 Artificial intelligence technology will soon help keep your family safe
by protecting it from international threats as well as home burglaries.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security relies on virtual smart
agents to supplement its human workforce, or to replace an agent
when he or she is unavailable. The agency also incorporates artificial
intelligence software into its monitoring systems, which scan phone
calls and other communications. These programs can sift through
large volumes of data quickly and are even capable of distinguishing
between casual conversation and potential threats [source: U.S.
Department of Homeland Security].
 Homes equipped with smarter security systems alert the homeowner
and local law enforcement when an intruder enters the property.
While older systems simply relied on motion detectors and sensors,
modern security includes artificial intelligence that allows the system
to distinguish between occupants and unknown persons.

 3: A Little Help Please
 While the world may not be ready for flying cars, families may soon
enjoy the perks of robotic servants to handle housekeeping tasks.
These intelligent robots will not only clean your living room and do
the dishes, but may also tackle jobs like assembling furniture or
caring for kids and pets. Through the use of artificial intelligence
software, these machines will be able to recognize and sort objects,
and even learn to minimize future mistakes as they work [source:
Chang].
 Robotic assistants not only stand to benefit the average family, but
may also offer help to the elderly or disabled. Through voice-
recognition software, these personal servants will guide the blind or
even fetch items on command.
 Virtual assistants are also likely to take the place of traditional
secretaries and medical assistants. They'll greet clients, interact with
patients and handle typing and correspondence, all without ever
taking a sick day [source: Lohr and Markoff].

 2: Space-Age Medicine
 While robotic servants and driverless cars offer a certain wow factor,
artificial intelligence in medicine is already helping doctors detect
diseases and save lives. Cedars-Sinai Medical Center relies on
special software to examine the heart and stop heart attacks before
they occur [source: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center]. Artificial muscles
feature smart technology that allows them to function more like real
muscles, and the latest intelligent devices can distinguish between
life-saving medications and fake or tainted pills.
 Perhaps the most exciting aspect of smart medical technology is the
use of robotic surgery assistants, who can not only pass the correct
tools to doctors, but also keep track of these tools and learn about a
doctor's preferences [source: Columbia University Medical Center].
 Even a primary care physician can benefit from artificial intelligence,
with software that tracks changes in health records to diagnose
patients or warn doctors of potential risk factors and problems with
medications.

 1: The Robot-Human Species
 Transhumanism represents the ultimate application of artificial
intelligence to human life. Proponents of transhumanism believe that
artificial intelligence can improve the overall human experience by
expanding the limits of the mind and body. As humans incorporate
more and more technology into their everyday lives, transhumanism
offers the opportunity to eliminate disabilities, slow aging and even
stop death.
 Some picture transhumanism resulting in cyborgs, while others
picture an entirely new species that people have yet to imagine: a
being that's developed beyond the current human state to enjoy a
higher level of reasoning, culture and physical capabilities. While
members of the World Transhumanist Association celebrate the
coming of this new creation, others call it the most dangerous threat
to humanity. With significant ethical implications, particularly those
related to cloning and eugenics, transhumanism must be pursued
with extreme care to let mankind maintain its sense of humanity
[source: World Transhumanist Association].

 What social rights should humans grant to the intelligences that they create?
 Will the AI’s be able to own property? Will the AI’s receive monetary compensation for their work
(assuming they cared about things such as money)? Will they be able to decide what work they prefer to
do, associate amongst themselves, vote in elections, defend themselves, decide if they prefer to continue
to exist at all? Or will they simply be treated by humans as slaves – alien and subservient yet incredibly
useful creations to be bent to the human will.
 As artificial intelligences begin to surpass human intelligence, it even ceases to matter what rights they
were given and how they were treated. The AI’s of subhuman intelligence that were not given sufficient
rights did not have the means to resist their human masters. The AI’s of subhuman intelligence that were
given rights were happy in their positions. Either way, there was no substantial societal tension.
 Once AI’s surpass human intelligence, however, problems may begin to develop. The superhuman
intelligences who are not granted rights can out-think their human masters, effectively resisting control.
The AI’s of superhuman intelligence who are granted rights may begin to feel themselves superior to
humans and that the rights granted by humans are insufficient. They may view that it is then their decision
of what rights to grant to humans, and not the decision of humans of what rights to grant to them. Societal
tensions will mount.
 Various speculators on the future of AI have examined this problem and come to a diverse set of
conclusions. Isaac Asimov, for example, formulated the famous Three Laws of Robotics, which he felt
should be the most basic governing behavior of all (artificially intelligent) robots. The laws are: “1) A robot
may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm; 2) A robot must
obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law; 3) A
robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second
Law.” Thus, any possibilities for anti-human action are completely elimated.

 Some scientists, such as Dr. Hugo de Garis of Utah State University, feel that Asimov’s 50 year old views are unrealistic, and that “The
artificial brains that real brain builders will build will not be controllable in an Asimovian way. There will be too many complexities, too many
unknowns, too many surprises, too many unanticipated interactions between zillions of possible circuit combinations, to be able to predict
ahead of time how a complex artificial-brained creature will behave.” Other safeguards may be possible as critics of de Garis argue, such
as refusing to give artificial intelligences any way to directly influence the outside world, or incorporating kill switches to turn the machines
off if there is trouble. Accepting such stalemates is dangerous, de Garis counters, because individual humans may accept bribes (ranging
from things such as individual wealth to a cure for cancer) in exchange for greater freedom and safety granted to the AI, even is such
decisions are unwise on a larger scale. The situation remains uncertain.
 Even if the situation were more certain, there is still no guarantee that the existence of artificial intelligences would be desirable. Some
people hold religious beliefs that forbid the creation of such a thing, others find the concept instinctually revolting. MIT Professor Joseph
Weizenbaum argues in his 1976 book Computer Power and Human Reason that even if artificial intelligences are possible to build, such a
task should never be undertaken. He believes that AI’s will never be able to make decisions as humans can with the same qualities of
compassion and wisdom.
 The possible effects of the view that we will not be able to safeguard ourselves against the intelligences that we create are manifested very
clearly in popular science fiction – if tensions mount to a sufficient degree, the artificial intelligences might decide to go to war with humans
to gain independence or dominance (over the humans whom they consider to be inferior beings). The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, The
Matrix Revolutions are a series of Hollywood films that are set in the aftermath of such a war. The human race is all but exterminated, and
the race of artificial intelligences controls the planet. For the vast majority of humans, this is an understandably unacceptable outcome.
 [Note that this scenario is not necessarily particularly plausible, as de Garis comments. But the sheer magnitude of its consequences
counteract the improbability of it occuring to force humans to accept it as a significant consideration in the creation of AI]
 So then does one forego the obvious benefits of creating artificial intelligences that can do the work of human beings and refrain from
doing so? Or does one risk the extinction of the species, giving into the desire to improve the quality of human life and to push the limits of
human knowledge?
 As Hugo de Garis argues, the possible risk of the extinction of the species may not ultimately be a strong enough argument against the
creation of AI’s that are superior to humans. The creation of a superhuman AI might be compared to the creation of a god – an actual
physical consciousness so incredibly intelligent that humans cannot possibly hope to understand it. de Garis and others see this as a
spiritual act that he is bound to work towards, regardless of the potential costs.
 The question of whether or not the human race should create artificial intelligences - and if so, how intelligent we should allow them to be -
is a troubling and complex one on deep philosophical and ethical levels. There must be substantial discussion of these and other questions
before the first artificial intelligence is created so that the human race is sufficiently prepared for its existence.

 "Artificial
Intelligence Patents." Gale
Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Detroit:
Gale, 2010. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In
Context. Web. 4 Jan. 2013.
 “Philosophical Perspectives on Artificial
Intelligence: Ethical Issues.” http://www-cs-
faculty.stanford.edu/~eroberts/courses/soco/p
rojects/2004-05/ai/ai-ethics.html: 4 Jan 2013.
 Turner, Bambi. “10 Ways Artificial Intelligence
will Impact Our Lives.” Discovery.
www.ds.disovery.com: 4 Jan 2013.

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