The end of people is not robots and computers taking over, it’s the ending of ourselves through a permanent state of changelessness and hedonism.
Robots:
Everyone Will Own a Robot
Most people feel there are reasons why they won’t own a robot. Most concerns about owning robots can be summarized in the following complaints:
1. “Robots are creepy”
Many technologies have undergone the transition from “creepy” to “cool”, and in some cases from “taboo” to “cool.” For example, many large websites can use our personal information, machines listen to our every conversation, to give us exactly what we want in return like personalized shopping recommendations.
Additionally, the idea that robots are creepy may exist because we do not have a lot of cute, cuddly robots, so adding a cuteness factor, especially to kids, is likely to be a common way in which they are marketed to us. Such is the case in several Asian countries today. Equally important is generational shifts where kids that are introduced to them will gladly accept them as adults, while old people today will reject them more often.
2. “Robots will take over”
There are lots of dystopian stories about robots taking over such as IRobot (Isaac Asimov), The Terminator, The Matrix. But all of these are not just about robots, but robots with advanced computing, so as long as robots don’t have AI built in, then they will be as dangerous as a moped. Once AI is combined, that is yet to be determined, but the main risks to humanity are far more obvious.
3. It will be many years before we get robots
Human-assisting robots are already here.
They are fairly simple, but the fact that they are providing emotional comfort and basic tasks for people is a clear indicator we are headed that way. For example:
“The global market for nursing care and disabled aid robots, made up of mostly Japanese manufacturers, is still tiny: just $19.2 million in 2016, according to the International Federation of Robotics.
But METI estimates the domestic industry alone will grow to 400 billion yen ($3.8 billion) by 2035, when a third of Japan’s population will be 65 or older”
More advanced robots like Honda’s Asimo are far more capable in motion, such as even being able to play the violin better than me. But perhaps you don’t need this soccer-playing robot with a $2.5M price tag, there are other robots already available under $100k, and the prices will drop as long as people demand them.
TOKYO (Reuters)
4. Robots are expensive
5. Most people will not get a robot.
Do you own a computer, phone, or even a dishwasher? To buy a robot is to buy more ease, pleasure, free time. Not owning a robot in the future would be like not owning a TV today. Yes, sometimes true, but rarely the case.
How Robots Will Destroy Humanity
If there is one thing that is especially useful to people, it is the need to keep busy/productive. Most parents would agree that getting their child to do more work around the house is better than more time playing games or being entertained.
Robots will make us lazier and weaker. In fact, the modern age has already shown that. If you do not believe this, then simply read histories or talk to old farmers who regularly accomplished incredible feats of labor. I will return to this idea later.
Ultimately, robots will enable us to never work again.
Artificial Intelligence
If robots replace the need for human labor, then AI will replace the need for thinking.
If robots replace the need for thinking, then the average result over time should be that people get less intelligent overall, because the demand to be intelligent, which is based on the need to survive will be all but eliminated. This can readily be seen in the fact that most residents in the modern world do not have a clue on how to grow their own food, so if the system were to fail someday, then many would die.
If an advanced computer program can solve any math problem infinitely faster and more accurately than any person, then why would anyone bother? In fact, why would school even be necessary? More clues that we will weaken humanity. Sure, some people will work hard and learn, but will this be true for most people?
Even raising children via a machine is getting closer:
And who has time to monitor children, right? the growth of daycare rates shows the reality that more and more people are either too busy, or not interested in raising their own children.
The Replacement of People
- If robots replace the need for physical human effort, and
- AI replaces the need for
- human thought,
- mental effort
- caring and companionship (already happening)
Then we can safely presume the need, or demand, for people will disappear over time. If demand decreases, supply tends to follow.
In this way, technology is commoditizing people, and people are becoming increasingly replaced by machines. Some of this is already apparent as you look around and see how many people are unable to stop staring at the electronic appendage, which many called a phone.
Some people think that “merging with the matrix” is a good thing and that the goal of all humanity should be to merge completely with computers (Elon). Who am I to say that they should not live in their dreams of electronic sheep, but perhaps others us think little of this nihilistic utopia.
I’m sorry, but implanting AI into your brain means I have to in order to stay competitive, but if I choose not to, do I stand a chance?
Computers and robots are already substituting real human emotions.
At this year’s International Consumer Electronics Show, or CES1, Sony debuted the new version of Aibo, its robotic dog. First available in 1999, Aibo has had a makeover for the new century and now includes advanced artificial intelligence, adaptive behaviour to interact with its owner, OLED eyes to show its emotions and a wide range of movement – all of which helps build “an emotional bond with members of the household while providing them with love, affection, and the joy of nurturing and raising a companion.”
digitalpulse
Now all we need is a robot family to complete it.
But it’s not like the future will be a big surprise, rather it will simply be a continuation of the current trends that seem to be slowly eliminating people:
- An increasing number of family relationships are being outsourced:
- elders to elder care/nursing homes;
- children to school and daycare, and
- substituting pets for children
- People are increasingly spending more time with computers and less with real people.
The best prediction is that in the future we will all live in a world completely disconnected with everyone as robots and computers continue to fulfill our needs and want cheaper, better, and more conveniently than other people can .
In other words, with robots and AI, we won’t need anyone else for work, for care, for love. Even artificial relationships will be preferred to real ones when the program seems as good as the real thing.
HumanIT 