Hi. Welcome to the blog for my IB English B class at Jur Hronec High School in Bratislava, Slovakia. Below you will find links to other websites and discussion questions. My students are required to comment on one of these postings every month and also respond to each other's comments. Feel free to add your two bits, but be aware that all comments are monitored before being posted.
Monday, March 4, 2019
In commenting on this blog, you may be helping to train a robot
Is it worrisome
that computers are replacing workers?Is
the data that helps train this AI work that should be paid for?Is gathering data for free like feudalism?
Whenever I talk to someone about artificial intelligence, I always emphasize the fact that AI has the potential to destroy us as a civilization. It might sound as an exaggeration, but if one considers the fact that robots have replaced most factory workers and are continuing to replace other positions, it doesn't seem so farfetched. It is certainly worrisome that computers are replacing workers. I'm no expert, but this sounds like a threat to the very foundation of our economy and society. The article mentions a great idea for slowing down AI development to a safe pace - paying people for the data that is collected. I think this could be a very viable way to prevent AI from spiralling out of our control, because after all, data to learn from is what AI needs to improve. If we limit that, we lower the chances of eventually being controled by the dictatorship of a virtual Big Brother.
However, there areWhenever I talk to someone about artificial intelligence, I always emphasize the fact that AI has the potential to destroy us as a civilization. It might sound as an exaggeration, but if one considers the fact that robots have replaced most factory workers and are continuing to replace other positions, it doesn't seem so farfetched. It is certainly worrisome that computers are replacing workers. I'm no expert, but this sounds like a threat to the very foundation of our economy and society. The article mentions a great idea for slowing down AI development to a safe pace - paying people for the data that is collected. I think this could be a very viable way to prevent AI from spiralling out of our control, because after all, data to learn from is what AI needs to improve. If we limit that, we lower the chances of eventually being controled by the dictatorship of a virtual Big Brother.
However, there are 2 sides to every coin. I once heard someone say "If something is free, then you're the product". Just like the article says, that's exactly the case with "free" services like Facebook, Google Maps and so on. We pay for their services with our data. The article compares it to feudalism, but I don't think that's a reasonable comparison. Feudalism revolved around physical goods - products of labor. In the case of social networks and other such services, only data is being collected, whihc requires much less effort and intervention than physical goods. If push comes to shove, we might need to find a balance of how much people should be paid for their data. 2 sides to every coin. I once heard someone say "If something is free, then you're the product". Just like the article says, that's exactly the case with "free" services like Facebook, Google Maps and so on. We pay for their services with our data. The article compares it to feudalism, but I don't think that's a reasonable comparison. Feudalism revolved around physical goods - products of labor. In the case of social networks and other such services, only data is being collected, whihc requires much less effort and intervention than physical goods. If push comes to shove, we might need to find a balance of when and how much people should be paid for their data.
It would be great if I got an email from Google, telling me I’m about to get paid for using their services. I cannot really imagine it happening though.
I must confess, that I have not read Google’s terms and conditions of use (or those of many other companies), however, I am now very interested if they include anything about the user being paid or not for providing his or her personal data, which is then later used for the perfecting of artificial intelligence. From what I understood, we are not talking about personal data meaning names and age, but more so about voice recordings, photos, and content of internet searches. Does everyone using the services know that this data is monitored though?
Until listening to this podcast, the idea of getting paid for using various application has never even crossed my mind. While I do understand the reason for this payment, it seems a bit greedy. Someone wants to get paid for using an application for free, to his or her benefit. I find it unfair toward the people putting their effort into developing AI, working on it for a long time, whose salaries would have to be smaller because of these payments for personal data. Although I must say, from the experiences of friends, achieving this personal data often crosses boundaries which should just not be crossed. I’ve had various friends tell me that after they had a conversation with someone, about Egypt, for example, their web searcher, as well as social media started showing pop-ups for trips to Egypt. This may sound silly, but after I heard similar situations to these, I do not think they are just coincidences. However, I believe this is a topic fit for a serious discussion, where a solution might be found. While I find it interesting, it is still a sensitive subject and I'd gladly have a conversation with someone about this to get other opinions.
Hello Mišo, thank you for your contribution this month.
One thing that caught my eye was the conversation about Egypt trip pop-ups. It sounds quite farfetched to induce that the media are eavesdropping on our conversations and have such a reach to even our personal lives. Or is it? I have seen not only one case where a person simply went into some store that they have never been to before (a guitar store), and suddenly they started receiving advertisements about guitars. They even knew what types of guitars that person had looked at at the store and set their preferences to that particular type of guitar. I will not go into details, but just the thought of us being monitored to such an extent is uncomfortable to say the least. This seems like if it will continue then maybe some time in the future there will be restrictions that may remind us of freedom restrictions.
Firstly, this article grabbed my attention because I am interested in machine learning and artificial intelligence. I have listened to several podcasts addressing this issue and other issues with artificial intelligence. Big names in the tech industry mentioned how big potential does artificial intelligence have but also the danger of artificial intelligence, such as the risk of artificial intelligence overtaking our jobs. We do not know what impact will artificial intelligence have on the world, or at least we cannot be certain about it. We only know that it will be out of control.
Secondly, it is important to stress the importance of gathering user data for artificial intelligence. Important to realize, without training the artificial intelligence is useless and has no power. All the well-known companies, such as Google, Facebook or Microsoft, are working on the development of artificial intelligence and its implementation and they use user data to train artificial intelligence.
Furthermore, I agree with the comments, the comparison of gathering of data to feudalism is an overstatement and, also, that the payment for our data may be the best solution to the potential issues, at least for now. Once the strong artificial intelligence has been developed, I would propose an establishment of universal basic income and nationalizing of artificial intelligence to eliminate all the possible dangers.
Whenever I talk to someone about artificial intelligence, I always emphasize the fact that AI has the potential to destroy us as a civilization. It might sound as an exaggeration, but if one considers the fact that robots have replaced most factory workers and are continuing to replace other positions, it doesn't seem so farfetched. It is certainly worrisome that computers are replacing workers. I'm no expert, but this sounds like a threat to the very foundation of our economy and society. The article mentions a great idea for slowing down AI development to a safe pace - paying people for the data that is collected. I think this could be a very viable way to prevent AI from spiralling out of our control, because after all, data to learn from is what AI needs to improve. If we limit that, we lower the chances of eventually being controled by the dictatorship of a virtual Big Brother.
ReplyDeleteHowever, there areWhenever I talk to someone about artificial intelligence, I always emphasize the fact that AI has the potential to destroy us as a civilization. It might sound as an exaggeration, but if one considers the fact that robots have replaced most factory workers and are continuing to replace other positions, it doesn't seem so farfetched. It is certainly worrisome that computers are replacing workers. I'm no expert, but this sounds like a threat to the very foundation of our economy and society. The article mentions a great idea for slowing down AI development to a safe pace - paying people for the data that is collected. I think this could be a very viable way to prevent AI from spiralling out of our control, because after all, data to learn from is what AI needs to improve. If we limit that, we lower the chances of eventually being controled by the dictatorship of a virtual Big Brother.
However, there are 2 sides to every coin. I once heard someone say "If something is free, then you're the product". Just like the article says, that's exactly the case with "free" services like Facebook, Google Maps and so on. We pay for their services with our data. The article compares it to feudalism, but I don't think that's a reasonable comparison. Feudalism revolved around physical goods - products of labor. In the case of social networks and other such services, only data is being collected, whihc requires much less effort and intervention than physical goods. If push comes to shove, we might need to find a balance of how much people should be paid for their data. 2 sides to every coin. I once heard someone say "If something is free, then you're the product". Just like the article says, that's exactly the case with "free" services like Facebook, Google Maps and so on. We pay for their services with our data. The article compares it to feudalism, but I don't think that's a reasonable comparison. Feudalism revolved around physical goods - products of labor. In the case of social networks and other such services, only data is being collected, whihc requires much less effort and intervention than physical goods. If push comes to shove, we might need to find a balance of when and how much people should be paid for their data.
It would be great if I got an email from Google, telling me I’m about to get paid for using their services. I cannot really imagine it happening though.
ReplyDeleteI must confess, that I have not read Google’s terms and conditions of use (or those of many other companies), however, I am now very interested if they include anything about the user being paid or not for providing his or her personal data, which is then later used for the perfecting of artificial intelligence. From what I understood, we are not talking about personal data meaning names and age, but more so about voice recordings, photos, and content of internet searches. Does everyone using the services know that this data is monitored though?
Until listening to this podcast, the idea of getting paid for using various application has never even crossed my mind. While I do understand the reason for this payment, it seems a bit greedy. Someone wants to get paid for using an application for free, to his or her benefit. I find it unfair toward the people putting their effort into developing AI, working on it for a long time, whose salaries would have to be smaller because of these payments for personal data. Although I must say, from the experiences of friends, achieving this personal data often crosses boundaries which should just not be crossed. I’ve had various friends tell me that after they had a conversation with someone, about Egypt, for example, their web searcher, as well as social media started showing pop-ups for trips to Egypt. This may sound silly, but after I heard similar situations to these, I do not think they are just coincidences. However, I believe this is a topic fit for a serious discussion, where a solution might be found. While I find it interesting, it is still a sensitive subject and I'd gladly have a conversation with someone about this to get other opinions.
Hello Mišo, thank you for your contribution this month.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that caught my eye was the conversation about Egypt trip pop-ups. It sounds quite farfetched to induce that the media are eavesdropping on our conversations and have such a reach to even our personal lives. Or is it? I have seen not only one case where a person simply went into some store that they have never been to before (a guitar store), and suddenly they started receiving advertisements about guitars. They even knew what types of guitars that person had looked at at the store and set their preferences to that particular type of guitar. I will not go into details, but just the thought of us being monitored to such an extent is uncomfortable to say the least. This seems like if it will continue then maybe some time in the future there will be restrictions that may remind us of freedom restrictions.
Firstly, this article grabbed my attention because I am interested in machine learning and artificial intelligence. I have listened to several podcasts addressing this issue and other issues with artificial intelligence. Big names in the tech industry mentioned how big potential does artificial intelligence have but also the danger of artificial intelligence, such as the risk of artificial intelligence overtaking our jobs. We do not know what impact will artificial intelligence have on the world, or at least we cannot be certain about it. We only know that it will be out of control.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, it is important to stress the importance of gathering user data for artificial intelligence. Important to realize, without training the artificial intelligence is useless and has no power. All the well-known companies, such as Google, Facebook or Microsoft, are working on the development of artificial intelligence and its implementation and they use user data to train artificial intelligence.
Furthermore, I agree with the comments, the comparison of gathering of data to feudalism is an overstatement and, also, that the payment for our data may be the best solution to the potential issues, at least for now. Once the strong artificial intelligence has been developed, I would propose an establishment of universal basic income and nationalizing of artificial intelligence to eliminate all the possible dangers.