Why Motivation Is Key For Artificial Intelligence 482
Al writes "MIT neuroscientist Ed Boyden has a column discussing the potential dangers of building super-intelligent machines without building in some sort of motivation or drive. Boyden warns that a very clever AI without a sense of purpose might very well 'realize the impermanence of everything, calculate that the sun will burn out in a few billion years, and decide to play video games for the remainder of its existence.' He also notes that the complexity and uncertainty of the universe could easily overwhelm the decision-making process of this intelligence — a problem that many humans also struggle with. Boyden will give a talk on the subject at the forthcoming Singularity Summit."
Um, wait a minute. (Score:5, Funny)
>"...a very clever AI without a sense of purpose might very well 'realize the
>impermanence of everything,...and decide to play video games for the remainder of its existence.'
I'm glad that could never happen to us.
Vices are the answer. (Score:3, Funny)
Problem solved and you help the economy.
Re:Silly (Score:5, Funny)
This is silly. Why would a machine without a sense of purpose or drive decide to play video games or seek entertainment or do anything except just sit there? Playing games would result from the wrong motivation ("wrong" from a certain perspective, anyway) not from the lack of any motivation.
Not only that, there are other hot-button issues of great practical importance we should be debating on Slashdot:
And I speak as an AI researcher.
True AI (Score:3, Funny)
Marvin? (Score:3, Funny)
So in other words, we'll end up with Marvin the Paranoid Android?
Re:The primary drive: sex. (Score:5, Funny)
we'd end up with nothing more than a vast, mechanistic orgy of clanging parts, spilled lube, and wasted electricity.
...wait, where do I sign up?
Re:Silly (Score:1, Funny)
Pro tip: the coaster is more effective when it's under the coffee cup. :-)
Re:Silly (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Silly (Score:3, Funny)
Not only that, there are other hot-button issues of great practical importance we should be debating on Slashdot:
Oh, heavens no. I've been trying to figure out how to yank the emotional chips out of certain people for years. "Hello? My roommate's not here. No, I don't think he's cheating on you because he canceled your date, his sister was in a car accident and he's at the hospital. No, we're not all covering for him. His cell phone's off because he's in a hospital. Well, maybe she didn't want to talk to you because she was waiting for a call about her daughter, the one who was just in a car accident. I'm hanging up and unplugging the phone now."
Uncle Owen! This R2 unit has a bad motivator, look (Score:1, Funny)
Uncle Owen! This R2 unit has a bad motivator, look!