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This is a cool concept for lots of things, maybe even big things like companies and utilities. A for-profit entity that operates just like a normal one, but is

This is a cool concept for lots of things, maybe even big things like companies and utilities. A for-profit entity that operates just like a normal one, but is programmed to not to simply maximize profits but to maximize social good. It would work well on things that don't require too much human thinking to run (just balancing equations and running equipment), but are normally hindered by self-interest.

manicdee 12y ago
Just be careful that you don't let your "social good maximising" AI talk to your "global resource management" AI. That is how Skynet happens.
- lifeformed 12y ago
  The vision I had was that these things wouldn't be run by some strong AI trying to figure out what's best, but just companies and machines that don't need complicated ideas to run. Just application specific "AI" that's good enough to balance the books and keep everything running, save enough for a rainy day, and keeping the consumers interests in mind. But I guess if left unchecked, as technology improves, things would tend towards Skynet.
woodman 12y ago
I think it can be convincingly argued that profit maximizing is social good maximizing, especially in technology. See: every technology ever :)
- pjc50 12y ago
  And that's why open source is profit maximizing and all good programming languages are for-profit, as well as the internet itself?
  - woodman 12y ago
    Wait, do you seriously think that Sun, Bell, Ericsson (java, c, erlang) set out to maximize social good? Of course everybody knows that the internet is powered by well wishes and puppy dreams, not costly telecommunication hardware.
jkestner 12y ago
For what time interval does your algorithm maximize profits/social good/etc? We've seen what maximizing profits for the next earnings report does. Ten years? For our lifetimes? Our children's? Too short, and you miss some big opportunities. Too long, and the algorithm might hedge against all the unknowns and miss some big opportunities.

manicdee 12y ago

Just be careful that you don't let your "social good maximising" AI talk to your "global resource management" AI. That is how Skynet happens.

lifeformed 12y ago
The vision I had was that these things wouldn't be run by some strong AI trying to figure out what's best, but just companies and machines that don't need complicated ideas to run. Just application specific "AI" that's good enough to balance the books and keep everything running, save enough for a rainy day, and keeping the consumers interests in mind. But I guess if left unchecked, as technology improves, things would tend towards Skynet.

woodman 12y ago

I think it can be convincingly argued that profit maximizing is social good maximizing, especially in technology. See: every technology ever :)

pjc50 12y ago
And that's why open source is profit maximizing and all good programming languages are for-profit, as well as the internet itself?
- woodman 12y ago
  Wait, do you seriously think that Sun, Bell, Ericsson (java, c, erlang) set out to maximize social good? Of course everybody knows that the internet is powered by well wishes and puppy dreams, not costly telecommunication hardware.

jkestner 12y ago

For what time interval does your algorithm maximize profits/social good/etc? We've seen what maximizing profits for the next earnings report does. Ten years? For our lifetimes? Our children's? Too short, and you miss some big opportunities. Too long, and the algorithm might hedge against all the unknowns and miss some big opportunities.