What concerns you most about the acceleration of technology?

bobcat

bobcat

Well-known Member
Location
Northern Calif
We are fast approaching the singularity where technological developments will overwhelm so much of society in a runaway reality.
With the rise of Artificial Intelligence, quantum computing, robotics, self-driving vehicles, and everything becoming automated, it seems we are facing a new reality that we may not be prepared for.
What worries you most about where things are headed?
 

Accountability. It will be almost impossible to track what is happening. A lot of people losing their jobs. A lot of people training robots. In 3 years we won't be able to be sure where our money really is anymore. It too will be part of the cloud. We will trade by AI assisted means that remove any physical trackability. If you feel like your losing control of your assets now, warn the new generations that there will be universal money by digit.
 
That the whole country, the whole world, could shut down in an instant. That things like physical cd's and dvd's, photographs, books are being phased out. Everything will be virtual and people will own nothing. It will be too easy to wipe out anything that exists, including our own ability to control any knowledge.
 

  • CRSPR AI enhanced genetic engineering of virus far more deadly and respiratory contagious than COVID-19 will be released causing worldwide survival food chaos with gun violence, then starvation, then dystopian collapse of the fragile interdependent fabric of much of the modern overpopulated world.
  • AI enhanced violent war, weapon fire, fight, video games emotionally train young brains with anti societal values.
  • Pleasurable recreational drugs will addict many resulting in unproductive wasted lives.
  • Uncensored AI enhanced sex pornography will addict many fantasy self pleasurers.
  • A country full modern guns, is a very dangerous place if civilization crumbles.
  • A planet full conflicting powers with proliferating nuclear weapons, long term is a very dangerous place.
 
Ok we need to "let's shoot the SOB's!" now. But sure, you're full of crap too.
I have yet to see some inspiring technology. Its blood muscles and guts and more blood.
Boeing has a heck of a time getting their astronauts back home. Nothing new here.
POC Kerosene rockets and lots of emissions does not make technology big news. its B.S.
C cell batteries does not make a great thing, C cells have been around for 3/4 of a century. total crap.
What ya stuff in a tiny tube doesn't actually mean crap. It's still a tiny battery stuck in a tube and total crap.
Sure, they put a Electric compressor with AC into a car and can warm it but it gets what 100 miles on a 10-F day.
More PITA crap.
 
Last edited:
I'm concerned for my children keeping up with accelerated change
but not as concerned now that we have ✨a new energy happening✨
that is filled with leaders who have high IQs and are focused
on our whole world and it's people.
 
bobcat said:
We are fast approaching the singularity where technological developments will overwhelm so much of society in a runaway reality.
With the rise of Artificial Intelligence, quantum computing, robotics, self-driving vehicles, and everything becoming automated, it seems we are facing a new reality that we may not be prepared for.
What worries you most about where things are headed?
Click to expand...
What worries me most? Living long enough to see it.
 
My biggest "concern" is having to buy more stuff even if I don't want, need or seldom use. Shoot
Now I'm EXPECTED as a citizen to own a cell phone and/or device capable of text messages.
I find that expectation more often most everywhere I go, both on the Internet and in the real.
What if I just don't want a bell in my pocket anyone in the world can ring?
As technology expands, we will be EXPECTED to keep up and comply.

That said, technology tends to make life much easier ... at least on the surface of it.
But there are always compromises and impacts affecting not only humans but surf and turf.

Pardon the two typos in the diagram and the fact it doesn't even show my cell phone which is WiFi capable but never enabled as I always leave it on the cell network where I have unlimited data available and not concerned with usage. None of these things were even possible 30yrs ago ... at least not here on the corner of Walk 'n Don't Walk ... and I was struggling well and surviving just swell.

OedouK6.png
 
I suppose there are many here who recall the chilling Stanley Kubrick masterpiece 2001 A Space Oddity.
Hal 9000 is a computer incapable of error, and the space crew relies on it for their safety and survival. But, in fact, it does make an error, and then it's at odds with those trying to rescue their fate from the computer overlord who refuses to give up control. The message of this movie is more relevant today than ever.

It used to be that computers only followed directions given by the programmer, but those days are now gone. With the dawn of AI that learns on it's own, who is to say when it becomes sentient. Even if it says it is, how will we really know. You can't just pop open the hood anymore and see how it learned anything. Just as a child learns and takes on it's own personality and gradually it's own will, this could be the same scenario.

We don't even fully grasp consciousness, and how it arises, let alone sentience or the subconscious. How will a society of AI's behave or respond to irrational humans. Will they get along with each other, or with us? Are we tinkering with our own demise? We are moving forward at an exponential pace, and hoping like hell it will all end well.

Will AI create an extremely complex array of life that we feel lost in? Sooner or later AI "beings" will be making more and more judgment calls about important matters like healthcare, war, food, government, transportation, finances, and our general welfare. I love technology and innovation, but I am worried that we may gradually lose control of our own destiny. On the other hand, considering all the messes that mankind has created, maybe that might be a better way. IDK.
 
What happens when AI and us have a disagreement? It has come to what it has calculated a better solution than ours. But, we know, by human experience, that AI's solution can be dangerous. We tend towards caution, AI tends towards action. We try to over ride it's choice, but it has figured out a way to by pass this and implements the solution it spite of us!

It might be capable of understanding that mankind is a major contributor to the destruction of life on the planet. Then it devises ways to eliminate humans? :eek:
 
In the short term, perhaps 10 to 15 years I fear the nefarious types (this includes our government) having access to, and becoming proficient with Quantum computing combined with AI. Already, quantum computers are proving capable of cracking encryption. We're going to need entirely new security systems if we're to use the internet for financial management, or, well, anything you want to keep private. Quantum computers are not just faster, they're in a completely different realm.
From an article in Science Frontier - "The Frontier Supercomputer, currently the most powerful computer in the world, would take a little over 47 years to crunch the same numbers, the researchers suggest, whereas the Sycamore Quantum Computer managed it in mere seconds".
 
Yes, we are "pedal to the medal" when it comes discovering to new technology. But as Hawkins said, “Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change".
We went from horses to cars and oil lamps to electric lights without major trauma. And you're happily typing away on something that was science fiction, when we were born. Our technology has made us the most pampered generation in history, I see no reason why it can't continue doing so. I don't see the "we're all going to hell" outcome from technology.
 
It's a scary thought. The younger generations seem to be losing the ability to use common sense to deal with everyday problems the way it is. For many, they are weaker in mind and body from spending too much time on their tech.
I have seen some that, instead of dealing with a simple problem, will spend hours playing computer games or scanning for funny videos, so they don't have to think about that small problem........until it's a big problem.
AI may have some exciting benefits, but it may also make for lazy people.
 
The fact that all things artificial has now become a thing. Walk down an urban street and your senses will be assaulted with artificial scent, blowing out of open doors, emanating off people as they pass you, staring down at their phones as they virtually communicate. Music is mostly synthesized; I admit it can sound better when remastered, but I also miss the cozy scratchiness of an album on the turntable.

View pictures of nature on line and they are so highly saturated with color so that it is hard to appreciate the real thing. I once saw a picture of the Grand Canyon on a travel website, where someone wrote a review complaining that it didn't look as good IRL as the pictures had, so they gave it one star.

When we went to buy our Christmas tree, as we strolled around the lot we couldn't smell the trees; just the strongly scented laundry products that people use nowadays. I guess people will think you are not clean unless you reek.
 
bobcat said:
Stanley Kubrick masterpiece 2001
Click to expand...
A shockingly bad piece of crap. Of course it was based on Clarke's book, just as bad. He was a hack, and seriously drug-addled most of his life.

Much of the crew later wrote how they hated being associated with it. A slow child's story wrapped in glitz. Many of them went on to make real science fiction films, but of course the masses want pap and can't appreciate them. Those have been left as relatively obscure even though far better.
 
carouselsilver said:
The fact that all things artificial has now become a thing. Walk down an urban street and your senses will be assaulted with artificial scent, blowing out of open doors, emanating off people as they pass you, staring down at their phones as they virtually communicate. Music is mostly synthesized; I admit it can sound better when remastered, but I also miss the cozy scratchiness of an album on the turntable.

View pictures of nature on line and they are so highly saturated with color so that it is hard to appreciate the real thing. I once saw a picture of the Grand Canyon on a travel website, where someone wrote a review complaining that it didn't look as good IRL as the pictures had, so they gave it one star.

When we went to buy our Christmas tree, as we strolled around the lot we couldn't smell the trees; just the strongly scented laundry products that people use nowadays. I guess people will think you are not clean unless you reek.
Click to expand...
I really with you on the scratchy albums, and reading the backs of album covers. The musicians thoughts, the band members and studio artists. We used hang album covers on the wall, and some albums came with posters inside.
 
bobcat said:
We are fast approaching the singularity where technological developments will overwhelm so much of society in a runaway reality.
With the rise of Artificial Intelligence, quantum computing, robotics, self-driving vehicles, and everything becoming automated, it seems we are facing a new reality that we may not be prepared for.
What worries you most about where things are headed?
Click to expand...

Nothing.Humans are infinitely flexible. As we age, we become less flexible, but there is a point where we, as oldsters, must hand over control of the world (and society) to those that follow. Aging is only about days and years passing. Some of our ideas as oldsters hold true, and some don't age as well. We, as humans, must progress. If that leaves some behind, it's likely because they have failed to adapt.
 
dilettante said:
A shockingly bad piece of crap. Of course it was based on Clarke's book, just as bad. He was a hack, and seriously drug-addled most of his life.

Much of the crew later wrote how they hated being associated with it. A slow child's story wrapped in glitz. Many of them went on to make real science fiction films, but of course the masses want pap and can't appreciate them. Those have been left as relatively obscure even though far better.
Click to expand...
You missed the point of the thread. I'm shocked.
 
I worry more about technological regression.

So much planned obsolescence. So many things built with no thought to repair. Parts that are overspecialized and can rapidly become impossible to get at reasonable prices if at all. Things built to only do one thing well... or tons of things fairly poorly. Others things that work but with quirks, are easily broken in normal use, or never fit for purpose in the 1st place.

Maybe worst, how few people understand the things at all. If they can even be opened they look inside and maybe sort of recognize a few of the simpler components but that's it. These things may as well have been dropped here by aliens.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top