In the very beginning of this course, after we were assigned our projects but before we had any meaningful information that would let me begin working on the project in earnest, I watched several documentaries on machine learning and artificial intelligence.
Of course this field is incredibly interesting and full of potential, but there are so many concerning possibilities as well. I learned about robots learning to pick things up and projects that are improving driverless cars. I also learned about the ethical concerns relating to these concepts.
Apparently it’s very difficult for robots to dynamically pick up objects of varying sizes. Humans are very good at it, but robots have to be specifically trained to pick up individual things and it’s difficult for them to adapt to differently sized things. In this way, humans still have a significant advantage over robots, but we should not assume this will always be the case.
One thing I worry about is how companies are investing into machine learning as a way to eventually replace human workers. Proponents of this plan insist that this will free people from working menial, repetitive jobs. In a utopia, this sounds great. People would (theoretically) have more free time to strengthen social and familial bonds or to create art. Given the current capitalist society, I can’t help but think that this is simply another way to pay the working class less and less money. Repetitive jobs will be eliminated, but will new jobs be created? Or will a universal basic income be implemented to provide everyone with the necessities for living? Some of these documentaries say that this is the goal, but I have my doubts.
Why should we trust those in power to act ethically when, historically as well as currently, they have never acted ethically? When faced with new social movements, capitalistic leaders have been quick to beat down laborers and pay them as little as possible, while cutting as many jobs as they can.
I understand the great potential that artificial intelligence and machine learning have to improve human quality of life. After all, computers are much better than humans at a lot of things, especially when those things are repetitive in nature. I am extremely skeptical that the people who will most benefit from “employing” highly intelligent machines will act in a way that actually benefits most people, though. Given the long history of exploitation of the poor and working classes, I think it is very healthy to be suspicious of the true benefits of robots and computers taking over human tasks.
