Thinking and Feeling Machines
This week in Creating with Artificial Intelligence: Shaping the Future, students are sharing what’s on their minds after learning how Generative AI works and exploring where AI could someday “grow.” Check out the posts below. They fueled rich conversations in class on February 7, 2024.
Why is it that a majority of science fiction films represent AI as the villain? How can we make sure that AI is the superhero?
If AI were ever to become sentient, how would that change how humans interact with it?
Could we create a class AI? Specify it to art generation and our topics. Or even at the end of the semester compile the art and then ask the AI to make art that is a compilation of our work.
If AI can think and feel, does it mean we can hurt their feelings? How human-like are they? I know there’s a robot with AI that wants a child because family is important, (Sofia the robot). If they become human-like will we have created a new species that is electronic?
I believe that it is possible one day AI will be able to imitate sentience but I don’t believe that AI will be able to feel things like humans do. Kind of like an actor playing a role for a movie is similar to how I would see AI trying to be sentient. My question is do you believe one day that AI will be sentient in the way we are as humans?
Most misunderstandings between humans are a result of a lack of communication. This lack of communication can lead both parties of an argument to make assumptions about the other; most commonly, bad assumptions about how the other is feeling or what they are thinking. This is dangerous because then it leads to false narratives that are not supported with actual feelings, and false narratives can turn into a great divide between parties. Issues enabled by lack of communication have a simple fix: more communication. More communication allows for a clearing of air between parties in disagreement, which will eventually lead to them coming upon on agreement. Without communication, misunderstandings cannot be resolved.
If AI was able to layout and present the exact consequences of every action to every person, would it benefit the world or become a detriment to the world?
I think there are two general schools of thought when it comes to AI. There are those who believe that it will end up replacing humans as a whole, and others who think its just another tool to work with. With every major invention to ever benefit humanity, it almost always comes at the cost of replacing manual labor in some way. The invention of the stove replaced the need for making fires, the automobile replaced horse drawn carriages, long distance telecommunication replaced traditional mail, the list goes on. Some may argue AI is the latest in this long line of invention and replacement. The question then becomes this: at what point do our innovations become so great that the human experience itself becomes meaningless? Is there a line where manual labor must be present to preserve what it means to be human?
What can’t AI do?
Are you allowed to claim work made by AI as your own work even if generative AI created most of it for you? For example, if I had a generative AI program create an entire book for me, is it moral or legal to sell that book as my own writing?
Are there specific areas where sentient AI would possibly have a positive impact?
Can generative AI expand its own database by using it’s own generated pictures and limited information?
How much longer until AI becomes capable of completing millions of jobs better than the average person at theirs?
How will advancements in AI-driven digital picture generation impact the role of graphic designers, and what capabilities do these technologies have to offer for creative professionals.
After completing the movie WALL-E I was left not necessarily questions, but reflections about the relationship of technology and humans, especially with the themes that are portrayed in the movie. I looked at society, and I thought about how technology could render society more complacent. My only question is how can we make sure that we maintain a healthy relationship with technology and not make our society complacent and even more over-consumerists?
Some of these posts reference science fiction because it was part of an assignment we completed this week. Details below.
