When I first learned AI was the topic of the ActiveRain June Challenge, which Kat Palmiotti had presented to bloggers, I began to reach back in memory, to when it was I had first became aware of Artificial Intelligence. I remembered a special evening in 1968. I was seated in a movie theater, munching on popcorn and watching the Stanley Kubrick/Arthur C. Clark film, “2001: A Space Odyssey.” While viewing that now iconic old movie, I was introduced to Hal. Hal (or HAL 9000) was a computer generated artificial intelligence character, who claimed to be “fool proof and incapable of error.” The acronym for HAL is "Heuristically programmed ALgorithmic computer."
A couple days ago, while watching this flick once again, I was amazed, how close over 50 years ago, the authors got it to times we live today.
When we stop to think about it, AI has been with us a while. When I have a question I don’t have an answer to, I pick up my cellphone, poke the little microphone, and say, “Google, when will our next full moon be?” - Or some other question. There’s Alexa, Ring Doorbell, facial recognition, also included in the growing list of AI generated functions increasingly used.
When I think of AI, I am excited about the possibilities, but also have concerns as well. For example, I can see valuable applications for AI in healthcare, especially surgeries. Several days ago, I was at a class reunion. The son of one of my former classmates is involved in AI development. She spoke about a surgery that was performed, on the east coast robotically, by a surgeon hundreds of miles away, remotely. That kind of ability provides capability to having the best surgeons in the country doing our surgeries, not just those available in our community.
My concerns with AI come with its ability to process autonomously and act independently. For the most part, AI gathers data which has been input by mere humans. AI digests the data, and then spits out results. However, if AI were to become “creative” in a sense, and go rouge, like Hal in the movie, “2001: A Space Odyssey.” I have concerns bad actors may have ability to input dangerous and inaccurate data, that AI could digest and spit out in significant consequential ways. Just writing this post, Spellcheck has gotten into mischief. Sometimes Spellcheck is right. Sometimes it’s wrong.
In the future, because of AI, I have no doubt work environments, and career choices will evolve and change dramatically. For example, lawyers may find their profession impacted. Some say that might not be a bad thing. We’ve already seen changes AI has created in the real estate arena, with algorithmic generated market evaluations, such as those provided with Zillow, etc.
We are on the threshold of interesting times, folks. One thing for certain. . .Stanley Kubrick knew all along!
For those interested in viewing "2001: A Space Odyssey," it's available via Amazon Prime for a $3.99 rental fee.
AI: Stanley Kubrick Knew All Along!
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