[iphone_newbees] Artificial Intelligence

From: "Dominique Farrell" <hollyandopal@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <iphone_newbees@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 6 Aug 2019 19:58:57 +0100

Why AI is an opportunity rather than a danger

<https://www.rte.ie/author/1066426-vihanga-gamage/> By Vihanga Gamage

Opinion: it's likely that artificial intelligence will do more good than
harm for human civilisation

The solar system is full of debris and rocks floating around. A meteor
shower or a shooting star is debris burning up upon entry to the atmosphere.
On occasion, pieces of rock make it all the way through. A much larger rock
that could make its way through is an asteroid. About 66 million years ago,
the impact from an asteroid brought about the Cretaceous extinction
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cretaceous%E2%80%93Paleogene_extinction_event

. A repetition of this event is theoretically possible - and the same

could be said about all-powerful Artificial Intelligence Overlords
marginalising the human race.

Since its inception in the mid 20th century
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_intelligence> , the field of
artificial intelligence has had an interesting ride. Much like the financial
markets or Hollywood, there’s been breakthroughs and failures and booms and
busts. Driven by advances in deep learning, a great deal of success has been
achieved this decade, ushering in the newest AI golden age, along with a
frenzy of interest and investment.

The current popular views of AI are being shaped primarily by several vocal
figures in technology. Microsoft founder Bill Gates
<https://twitter.com/BillGates>  has said
<https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/26/bill-gates-artificial-intelligence-both-pro
mising-and-dangerous.html>  that AI carries the potential to change society
deeply and is both exciting and dangerous. IBM <https://www.ibm.com/>  CEO
Ginni Rometty <https://www.ibm.com/ibm/ginni/>  has stated
<https://www.zdnet.com/article/ces-2019-ibms-ginni-rometty-says-100-of-jobs-
will-be-different-due-to-ai/>  that she believes advances in AI will create
different jobs rather than no jobs. Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/>
founder Mark Zuckerberg <https://www.facebook.com/zuck>  has expressed the
view
<https://www.cnbc.com/2017/07/26/mark-zuckerberg-defends-a-i-again-continuin
g-debate-with-elon-musk.html>  that AI will deliver various improvements to
human quality of life, while Tesla <https://www.tesla.com/>  founder Elon
Musk <https://twitter.com/elonmusk>  has called
<https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jul/17/elon-musk-regulation-ai-
combat-existential-threat-tesla-spacex-ceo>  AI "a fundamental risk to the
existence of human civilisation"

The future dangers AI could pose to humanity is a frequently occurring
subject in conversation, be it to break the ice on a first date, to fill the
time before a meeting starts or while waiting for a pint at the pub on a
Friday evening. And arguably, Musk's statement carries the most bite. It
certainly is a very catchy line that makes for a more topical conversation
starter than asteroids or the Cretaceous extinction.

As a result, these hypothetical yet sensationalist doomsday opinions are at
a point where they dominate the conversation about AI, so much so that the
bigger picture on the subject may at the point of being overshadowed and
given very little consideration. And that could pose an even greater threat,
especially in an age where hype and rhetoric without regard for fact has had
great effect to the fate of the world.

Advancements in AI could lead to a superintelligence that could pose a
fundamental risk to human existence - and so could climate change or a 5 km
wide space rock colliding with the Earth. But there are many points of
difference between these three risks. AI is a long way away advancing to the
point of superintelligence and it’s not a certainty that superintelligence
would lead to the end of humanity. Climate change is a very real and present
danger, with the time to take action to prevent irreversible consequences
continuing to decrease. And then there are the chances of an asteroid
striking the earth

Of course, there is no good that can come from an asteroid strike or global
warming, but AI can literally be one of the best things to happen to humans.
This is not said enough - and it can’t be said enough. AI can and is being
used to as a tool in many incredible ways. For example, it is being used to
help improve prevention of cancer, provide effective treatment, and could
one day even be part of the solution.

AI is also being leveraged as a promising way to combat climate change.
AI-powered simulations and analysis helps make for sustainable urban
planning and ocean preservation. It is possible to make more accurate
predictions regarding weather events with the help of AI leading to reduced
damage to life and property. It can help power grids to be more energy
efficient by predicting peak over of usage allowing for better preparation,
and enhances the benefits of clean energy methods by deploying in ways such
as incorporate weather and other relevant data to make wind turbines more
efficient.

And yet arguments on how AI could hypothetically end humanity as we know it
at some point in the future, seem to drown out how AI is already helping
humanity’s cause. Such contributions pale in comparison to the very real
possibility that AI could be the key to finding the answers for some of
humanity’s biggest problems

, Stanford Professor Fei-Fei Li <https://twitter.com/drfeifei>  said that AI
is bound to alter the human experience, and not necessarily for the better.
After acknowledging this, Li pointed out that ensuring AI will transform the
world for the better is very much in our hands. "There's nothing artificial
about AI", she said
<https://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByEvent.aspx?EventID=108474> .
"It’s inspired by people, it’s created by people, and—most importantly—it
impacts people. It is a powerful tool we are only just beginning to
understand, and that is a profound responsibility."

Concern that AI could pose a threat is very much reasonable. But this
possibility is just that - a possibility. Let’s not forget AI is a
fundamental opportunity to further the cause of the human civilisation, and
that it is in our hands to ensure that it impacts us positively, and be
optimistic about what it can mean for us. The world can only be the better
place for it.

Are you being served? The rise of robots in the services sector

<https://www.rte.ie/author/955428-jennifer-lawlor/> By Jennifer Lawlor

Opinion: robots are set to become increasingly common in the worlds of
travel, fast food, hospitality, entertainment and event management

Imagine you are checking in to your hotel for a well-deserved holiday. You
are looking forward to a break away from the modern connected world, but are
greeted by a robotic dinosaur at the reception desk. Welcome to the Henn-na
Hotel in Nagasaki, Japan <http://www.h-n-h.jp/en/> , the world's first fully
manned robotic hotel.

One of the most exciting yet disruptive forces in business today is the
integration of robotics into the business models of companies operating in
the services sector. A robot
<https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/robot>  essentially is a machine
that can look like a human being and is able to move independently and
perform complex tasks.

They are serving to enhance how companies interact with their employees and
customers in a variety of service contexts such as travel, fast food,
hospitality, entertainment and event management. For example, Domino’s Pizza
announced
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/06/17/dominos-will-start-del
ivering-pizzas-via-an-autonomous-robot-this-fall/?utm_term=.45da9c91350d>  a
collaboration last month with Nuro, a robotics delivery company, to test the
use of its self-driving robots as a means of home delivery of pizzas from
one of its outlets in Houston.

Elsewhere, Royal Caribbean Cruises <http://www.royalcaribbean.ie/‎>  have
deployed two robotic bartenders
<https://www.zdnet.com/article/meet-the-robot-bartenders-serving-on-smart-sh
ips/>  in their Bionic Bar, fittingly named Shaken and Stirred. At Schiphol
Airport <http://www.schiphol.nl/>  in Amsterdam, a robot assistant called
Spencer
<https://www.lonelyplanet.com/news/2015/11/30/lost-in-schiphol-airport-let-a
-robot-named-spencer-help-you/>  helps to ensure that airline passengers
have a seamless travel experience. In preparation for the 2020 Olympic Games
<https://www.olympic.org/tokyo-2020>  in Tokyo, talking robots are being
utilised at subway stations
<https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/15/18267055/tokyo-2020-olympics-robot-assis
tants-toyota-panasonic-exoskeleton>  to provide travel advice to tourists.
In the fast-food sector, a robotic-armed hamburger flipper Flippy
<https://eu.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2018/05/28/hamburger-making-
robot-flippy-back-serving-300-burgers-day/649370002/>  has made his debut as
the world’s first robotic kitchen assistant at the CaliBurger chain in
Pasadena, California.

The financial benefits of a robot employee are evident. The use of robots
leads to increased productivity and labour cost reductions, whilst releasing
staff from performing routine or repetitive tasks. In May, a fruit-picking
robot, referred to in the media as Robocrop
<https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/may/26/world-first-fruit-pickin
g-robot-set-to-work-artificial-intelligence-farming> , was introduced onto a
fruit farm in West Sussex in the UK. The 1.8 metres tall machine with a
robotic arm has the daily task of picking over 25,000 raspberries in a
greenhouse.

Robotic options may result in service quality improvement and enhanced value
creation with customers whereby service encounters such as hotel check-in
and food delivery can be expedited. There are also the intrinsic benefits of
the human-robot interface such as the enjoyment and novelty that can arise.

Yet, there are huge financial commitments to developing, testing and
finessing robotics. The estimated development cost of the raspberry-picking
Robocrop was £700,000. Another deterrent can be employee resistance to their
robotic peers, as well as the fundamental question as to whether robots may
replace and indeed put human workers out of business. In the case of
Robocrop, human workers typically pick 15,000 raspberries over an eight hour
period compared to the robotic output of 25,000 berries. Furthermore, the
robot can work for up to 20 hours at a time. Equally, robotic resistance can
also come from customers who may be wary or sceptical about the learning
processes and cultural changes required when dealing with robots.

So whilst there is great excitement and interest at the speed of
developments in robotics from a business perspective, there also is a steep
learning curve. It is particularly interesting to consider the emerging role
of robots in the service sector in areas such as food preparation and
delivery, hotels, airports and entertainment. These are people-facing
service encounters where many providers seek to differentiate themselves on
the basis of the inherent human factor, notably the friendly, attentive,
helpful and knowledgeable nature of their staff. Furthermore, there appears
to be a wariness, if not reluctance, amongst many customers to interact with
automated service enablers such as robots.

In June, global travel data provider OAG presented findings from its survey
of 2,000 travellers via its flight tracking app, FlightView. The Airport
Delight Report: Human vs. Machines
<https://www.oag.com/the-airport-delight-report-humans-vs-machines-2019>
study sought to examine customer’s perceptions of the effectiveness of
airports’ use of automation such as robotics, biometrics and advanced
security measures.

The outstanding finding was that airport travellers prefer human interaction
with staff members over automated travel functions. There was a 54%
preference for interaction with customer service personnel (over automated
alternatives) with regard to baggage handling. Similarly, the desire for
human interaction attracted a 55% preference with regard to airport
security; 64% for boarding; 83% for concierge service and 80% for in-flight
services. The single occasion where customers preferred automation related
to ticketing and check-in.

When it came to robots that provide directions around the airport, 19% of
travellers perceived that they enhanced the customer experience. Less than
10% of customers were interested in mobile robots that will valet park a car
for them on arrival at the airport.

It is worth considering that most of the robotic applications to date have
assumed the role of productive staff, such as the burger flipping and fruit
picking robots mentioned above. Yet, another critical role is currently
emerging: the robot as a simulated human whereby the robot not only performs
like a human, but also thinks and emotes like a human. In the conference and
event arena, one of the most in-demand celebrity speakers is Sophia
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophia_(robot)> , the world’s first robot
citizen who can read someone’s emotions from their facial expressions and
tone of voice and react in a similar manner.

Similarly, in the near future, the technology is developing to provide
robotic pets to care for and nurture, not to mention social robots to act as
friends and companions. The question then arises - are humans ready to adopt
this exciting but disruptive technology?

Website:

www.rte.ie/business

[iphone_newbees] Artificial Intelligence

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