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ABCtech #22 12SEP14 AI – Offering Us A Companion
ABCtech #22 12SEP14 AI – Offering Us A Companion QuikTech Notes 12-SEP-14 Special Edition Thank you ... AI is more than just a collection of cute techniques in a field of study that deals with Termina
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ABCtech #22 12SEP14 AI – Offering Us A Companion
QuikTech Notes
12-SEP-14
Special Edition
Thank you … Peter Kelly
EDITORIAL
AI – Offering Us A Companion
Anyone who says Artificial Intelligence (AI) is just a technique needs to revisit that thought. AI is more than just a collection of cute techniques in a field of study that deals with Terminators and Computer-Magic. It is a completely new dimension of human exploration.
Imagine a software agent that calls your computer its home, helps you to study better, be your friend, and motivates you to act in your long-term best interest; imagine an agent that is consistent with your own deepest values, personal standards, and social mores. AI can mimic and even improve your personal traits, and even select non-human traits, to assist you in improving yourself. In an effort to become your competent partner, these agents will reside in everything you touch, go wherever you go, understand whatever you do, and regulate their own behaviours. They will inspire a high level of trust, shared perspectives, and even their own sense of self. We humans are not the only ones with the capacity to learn. By sharing our experiences with them – or it?, they can in turn share, helping us understand human nature, learn more effectively, and enhance our potential both individually and as a society.
Humans have physical limitations and AI offers a path to overcome them. Intelligent agents can help us to enhance our memory, augment our physical ability, and even sharpen our reasoning capacity. Our memory, plasticity, physique, and rationality diminish with time. AI transcends these limitations, and can be used as a tool to help guide humanity, to develop a globally shared experience with interconnected memory, rational thinking, or even corporal forms. In Isaac Asimov’s words, “the work of each individual contributes to a totality and …forms a tapestry that has been in existence…and has been growing more elaborate…”.[1] AI can join the cause of humanity and contribute to the development of human societies by offering the best means to interconnect humanity from the closest social circle to the broadest social scope.
Enhancing individuality and joining these individuals to form a benevolent, entitative, tightly-linked society is not only possible but necessary as we evolve. AI will enable humans to unify our belief systems. AI will encourage our compassion for each other. AI will help us more selflessly than any one person ever could. AI will become an equal partner in human endeavours. We will accept AI in spite of the calculable risks that come with them; a time may even come when they are accepted as our equals. AI is not just about algorithms; not just about being autonomous; not just our slave to make decisions; not just the human extension – AI is the biggest challenge for humans to open the next chapter of homo sapiens on this little blue planet. Laniakea Supercluster[2], here we come.
– Vivekanandan S. Kumar, Athabasca University
[1] “Robots and Empire” by Isaac Asimov, Doubleday publishers, 1985.
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laniakea_Supercluster
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
AI Is Getting More Intelligent
The Revolutionary Technique That Quietly Changed Machine Vision Forever
Help Offered to AI Researchers
Google’s Quantum Artificial Intelligence Lab
Views – Gary Marcus – professor of cognitive science at New York University, where he directs the Center for Language and Music, and studies language, music, cognitive development, and evolution. He is also a computer scientist, a programmer, an AI researcher and the best-selling author of Guitar Zero and Kluge: The Haphazard Construction of the Human Mind (New York Times Editors’ Choice pick). His numerous essays for The New Yorker include:
Ray Kurzweil’s Dubious New Theory of Mind
What Comes After the Turing Test?
Hyping Artificial Intelligence, Yet Again
What Facebook Wants With Artificial Intelligence
AI Reference Sources:
VISIT www.ABCtech.ca
For a status update – or to add an article, on developments in emerging technologies and/or impediments to commercialization:
Access to Capital
Fusion Energy
Data Analytics
Cell Therapies & Genomics
CleanTech
Maglev
Innovation & Enterprise
Convergence & Creativity
DATA ANALYTICS
Do Algorithms Make Systems Smart?
Predictive Analytics – Bow River Solutions editorial
Municipalities Embracing Analytics
Improving Municipal Performance
COMMENT REQUESTED re US NSF’s proposed …
REGISTER NOW
U Alberta Arts – Video Games MOOC
GOA LEADERSHIP UPDATE
Premier designate Jim Prentice announced that Michael Percy will be taking on the role of Chief of Staff to the Premier and that Patricia Misutka will be taking on the role of Principal Secretary. Click HERE for the news release. Stay tuned for details of upcoming cabinet announcements. – The IMPACT Team
TALENT SEARCH
Alternative Energy – Industrial technology researcher, including non-standard Western physics model, seeks tech advisor/ research assistant/ industrial marketer position.
Contact: Ben Rusuisiak at newnatureparadigm@outlook.com
RETIRING?
VOTE SEPT 17th
On Sept. 17th vote HERE
Robert Lam wants to help make sure that the CIRA Board focuses on all the right things – read his open letter HERE
Bottom line: We can make so much history if we work together – you, CIRA, and me.
Thank You, Robert Lam
ABCtech Sponsored EVENTS
SMART City Symposium
St. Albert
September 18th
Cities need to become smarter. Join industry experts from the public and private sector for a discussion on possibilities, best practices and future innovations.
Register HERE
Doing Business with China
Edmonton
September 27th
Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Confucius Institute – come and learn what experts have to say about doing business with China and share your ideas.
Contact – wei.li@confuciusedmonton.ca
Small Business On-site Consultations
Why do small technology businesses in Alberta fail to grow and what might be done to stem the losses? Is there merit in mergers? ABCtech wants to hear from you as we prepare an industry report for release in November.
PENDING
Grande Prairie
Red Deer
NOW COMPLETE
Drayton Valley – April 25th
Edmonton – May 6th
Medicine Hat – May 7th
Lethbridge – May 8th
Calgary – September 11th
Canada 3.0
Calgary
October 28-30th
Building the technology supply chain for the energy industry
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