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I was just having this conversation last night. My response was that in almost every sci-fi story where AI existed, it also was regulated. Usually as a major pl

I was just having this conversation last night. My response was that in almost every sci-fi story where AI existed, it also was regulated. Usually as a major plot device of the story i.e. Neuromancer and iRobot to name a couple. Additionally from another conversation awhile back a friend made the statement that scientific research should be free to pursue knowledge regardless of ethical concerns. That pursuit of knowledge was the highest goal, regardless of consequences. At which point we all universally exclaimed "UNIT 731 !!!" My poor friend was so embarrassed of their belligerence on the matter that they emphatically asked to be slapped in the face! Now whenever anyone in our group gets that defensive on a subject and is so clearly wrong they get a slap in the face. AI's a tricky matter. It's unknown how advanced it really is at the moment and the risks are potentially very serious. It'll be an interesting debate to watch unfold. I hope we make the right decision.

maxxxxx 9y ago
"I hope we make the right decision." Most likely only after a lot of wrong decisions. that's how history always has played out.
rtx 9y ago
Knowledge is never tainted.
- throwanem 9y ago
  No. But that's not the same as saying we need not scruple at any means of obtaining new knowledge.
ShabbosGoy 9y ago
> Usually as a major plot device of the story i.e. Neuromancer and iRobot to name a couple. In those two stories, regulation is unenforceable or downright dangerous. Having a private, self-regulating industry group like FINRA might work. Especially if they own the vast majority of patents on anything related to AI.
- wizardforhire 9y ago
  Exactly.
- arthur_pryor 9y ago
  > In those two stories, regulation is unenforceable or downright dangerous. Having a private, self-regulating industry group like FINRA might work. Especially if they own the vast majority of patents on anything related to AI. [mild spoilers ahead] it's been a while since i've read neuromancer, but i've read it twice, and it's maybe my favorite novel ever (a strong contender, at least). i did not get the impression that the point of neuromancer was that AI regulation was unenforceable. in fact, it took an all-star team of break-in artists to circumvent the AI regulation in neuromancer. right? this is why molly and case were hired, and why the flatline construct was instantiated? or is there another plot point that i'm forgetting that showed the regulation to be meaningless? just because regulation is not 100% enforceable, or because it's circumventable with extreme effort, does not mean it is "unenforceable". this would, IMO, be analogous to saying that laws prohibiting bank robbery are essentially unenforceable, because banks do sometimes get robbed. but i don't think that anyone would call laws against bank robbery unenforceable in practice. they are, in fact, enforced to the point that bank robbery would not be a lucrative career for the vast majority of those considering it. that does not mean that a given bank robbery will never be lucrative, or that the incentives never line up such that a person or group would attempt one. AI regulation seems vastly harder than bank robbery regulation, both practically and philosophically. but it doesn't strike me as absolutely impossible, and i think it's something that society should give serious thought to, and now. if only to give it real consideration before dismissing it. and i think your comment admits this: if an industry can self-regulate, it can be regulated externally. plus, industries that fear robust external regulation are usually pushed into better self-regulation. industries that don't fear real external regulation usually just do whatever the fuck they want. e.g., does anyone think the financial industry is actually a paragon of self-regulation? a good example for how regulation should work in society? to me that's an example of society being hurt by a lack of well-crafted and robustly enforced regulation.

maxxxxx 9y ago

"I hope we make the right decision." Most likely only after a lot of wrong decisions. that's how history always has played out.

rtx 9y ago

Knowledge is never tainted.

throwanem 9y ago
No. But that's not the same as saying we need not scruple at any means of obtaining new knowledge.

ShabbosGoy 9y ago

> Usually as a major plot device of the story i.e. Neuromancer and iRobot to name a couple. In those two stories, regulation is unenforceable or downright dangerous. Having a private, self-regulating industry group like FINRA might work. Especially if they own the vast majority of patents on anything related to AI.

wizardforhire 9y ago
Exactly.
arthur_pryor 9y ago
> In those two stories, regulation is unenforceable or downright dangerous. Having a private, self-regulating industry group like FINRA might work. Especially if they own the vast majority of patents on anything related to AI. [mild spoilers ahead] it's been a while since i've read neuromancer, but i've read it twice, and it's maybe my favorite novel ever (a strong contender, at least). i did not get the impression that the point of neuromancer was that AI regulation was unenforceable. in fact, it took an all-star team of break-in artists to circumvent the AI regulation in neuromancer. right? this is why molly and case were hired, and why the flatline construct was instantiated? or is there another plot point that i'm forgetting that showed the regulation to be meaningless? just because regulation is not 100% enforceable, or because it's circumventable with extreme effort, does not mean it is "unenforceable". this would, IMO, be analogous to saying that laws prohibiting bank robbery are essentially unenforceable, because banks do sometimes get robbed. but i don't think that anyone would call laws against bank robbery unenforceable in practice. they are, in fact, enforced to the point that bank robbery would not be a lucrative career for the vast majority of those considering it. that does not mean that a given bank robbery will never be lucrative, or that the incentives never line up such that a person or group would attempt one. AI regulation seems vastly harder than bank robbery regulation, both practically and philosophically. but it doesn't strike me as absolutely impossible, and i think it's something that society should give serious thought to, and now. if only to give it real consideration before dismissing it. and i think your comment admits this: if an industry can self-regulate, it can be regulated externally. plus, industries that fear robust external regulation are usually pushed into better self-regulation. industries that don't fear real external regulation usually just do whatever the fuck they want. e.g., does anyone think the financial industry is actually a paragon of self-regulation? a good example for how regulation should work in society? to me that's an example of society being hurt by a lack of well-crafted and robustly enforced regulation.