Reinforcement Learning

By experimenting, computers are figuring out how to do things that no programmer could teach them. Availability: 1 to 2 years

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/603501/10-breakthrough-technologies-2017-reinforcement-learning/

         As technology keeps advancing daily, developers, and consumers become hesitant on the topic of one of the biggest issues regarding innovation, artificial intelligence. According to the Merrin Dictionary, “Artificial intelligence is the theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages.” This sparks much debate that relates to this theory which is the approach known as reinforcement learning. All of us know the AlphaGo computer that was developed to master the impossibly complex board game Go which beat one of the best human players in the world in a high-profile match last year, which was programmed based on this approach of reinforcement learning. Stated by Knight, “reinforcement learning may soon inject greater intelligence into much more than games. In addition to improving self-driving cars, the technology can get a robot to grasp objects it has never seen before, and it can figure out the optimal configuration for the equipment in a data center.”

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Why AI won’t Destroy the Human Race

In our digital age, a vast amount of information is at our fingertips. With a few keystrokes, we can know the answer to many, MANY questions and AI is helping to make it possible. A respected Swiss scientist, Conrad Gessner, might have been the first to raise the alarm about the effects of information overload. In a landmark book, he described how the modern world overwhelmed people with data and that this overabundance was both “confusing and harmful” to the mind. The media now echo his concerns with reports on the unprecedented risks of living in an “always on” digital environment. It’s worth noting that Gessner, for his part, never once used e-mail and was completely ignorant about computers. That’s not because he was a technophobe but because he died in 1565. His warnings referred to the seemingly unmanageable flood of information unleashed by the printing press. If we let the fear of the unknown drive decision making, we would never have tamed fire. Societies would be at a standstill. The way we grow and develop is based on questioning the status-quo and yes, taking risks… calculated risks.

Cameras Are Changing

Since the genesis of cameras, the sole purpose and goal has been to capture whatever is in front of it when asked.  However, with the explosion of artificial intelligence and “machine learning”, cameras are too being re-modeled in a way that will make them smart.

So far, Google has invested in a company called Clips, which uses machine learning to automatically take snapshots of anything it deems “interesting” (people, pets, etc.).  In addition, a company called Lighthouse AI is looking to use this new generation of cameras to create a safer and more reliable security system in their house–much like the iPhone X’s face recognition.

The Future of Artificial Intelligence

Sophia looks, talks, and acts just like a normal person. The only difference is she has wires instead of veins. She is Hanson Robotics latest and best creation. Sophia presented at the Geneva Conference the first week in June, talking about the benefits of AI robots in society. She talks not only about robots benefits working with senior citizens and children, but she is also an advocate for other forms of AI and robots. She has presented at many different conferences and appeared on several tv talk shows to show off her skills and to talk about how AI is the future. Sophia is constantly assuring people that robots will not take over the world.

In October, Sophia made headlines by becoming the first robot to be granted citizenship in Saudi Arabia. In November, she told the world she was ready to have a baby. Both of these events have created some controversy. Women in Saudi Arabia and around the world were upset to see that she did not have to obey the oppressive laws that other women in Saudi Arabia have to face. She was not wearing a headscarf, nor was she accompanied by a man in her family because she was outside. However, Sophia was quickly able to turn this around and instead began advocating for women’s rights. In the eyes of her creator, David Hanson said Sophia is more like a child herself, than an adult. He says she has the vocabulary of a college educated adult, but because she hasn’t been perfected yet, and because she’s existed for such a short time, in reality she is more like a child.

Unlike less advanced robots with programmed responses, Sophia is made so she can understand what people are saying and then use that information to educate herself and to improve her responses. Back in March of 2016, Sophia made headlines when Hanson asked her “do you want to destroy humans?…Please say ‘no’”. To everyone’s surprise, she said “OK. I will destroy humans.” However, since then Sophia hasn’t made any comments like that, because of her ability to “learn.” Sophia is always learning and becoming smarter and is an incredible example of the future of technology.