A.I. : Garbage In, Garbage Out?

My mind creates many interesting thoughts per day revolving around the things which I choose to immerse myself within. My mind is always producing. I write down some of those thoughts but many just come and go like the changing tides. Sometimes, they return in a moment of inspiration, sometimes they don’t. If I am focused on a task, even a simple one like washing dishes, I do not stop to write down an idea. Today was different.

While watching a CS50 programming basics course, I saw a simple diagram showing inputs and outputs and instantly had a revelation. Inputs >>>> Blank square representing a machine >>>> Outputs. That is it! That is it! I thought.

It took me back to a conversation I had with my first year architecture professor. He told me a story about a project he did while at Harvard GSD which asked if something could design itself. At that time, he came to the conclusion that there always needed to be a initial input to begin the process.

Now, with artificial intelligence, the time is coming upon us when that initial input will no longer be required. This opens the possibilities for so many solutions to be created, many problems solved long before they even occur. The processes will be a series of algorithmic reviews and responses that spawn solution based actions.

The input and output image made me think of the old phrase “Garbage in, Garbage out.” You get out what you put in. If you put in crap, you’ll get crap in return. You’ll play how you practice. You reap what you sow. There are so many phrases to name and we have all heard a few in our lifetimes.

Garbage in, Garbage out. In the world of Artificial Intelligence the input is less relevant, even unnecessary. A.I. will determine the input and determine it is golden. The result, regardless of the input, will be exactly what is needed for the task. So what happens to these various phrases in the world of A.I.? They become truncated because of a lack of human inputs. The phrases will only denote an outcome: “Build” for example.

This sounds great. We have created a world where the machines do not need instructions because they always know what to do. What is the problem with that? Everything will be fixed as needed to make humanity better.

The problem is machines do not have emotions and compassion and empathy. Machines get shit done! Period! When an issue needs to be repaired a machine will efficiently get things done and eradicate problems. The problem, or possibly the inevitable solution, is that A.I. doesn’t care about things in the ways that humans do. The A.I. model will understand that in this particular situation this is the desired approach, however, eventually, as A.I. models become more prevalent the directness of outcomes will begin to influence human culture.

Some in society believe that the computers will be the end of civilization, but it is actually the opposite. The A.I. will simply create efficient solutions and carry them out without internal reflection or repercussions while moving to the next problem. A.I. and machines will do whatever it takes to achieve the desired results. Those desired results are a mix of what the A.I. believes is desirable to achieve stability and what it believes that humans would want. This belief is based upon the initial empowerment provided by humans.

If you elevate your observation of the topic from the stratosphere you will see that the A.I. does receive an initial input. That initial input is not a singular event but rather a series of inputs. What makes it complex is that the series of inputs includes everything we know and understand about history; everything.

Imagine, you, sitting in a dark room trying to generate the solution to a complex social issue when you have the complete knowledge of human history and understanding inside your mind. That is not hammering a square peg into a round hole, it is smashing a large diameter round peg, travelling at tremendous speed, into a round hole that is microscopic. Round peg, round hole; difference of diameters which does not result in the correct fit.

Society works because our various processes controls the size of the hole and the peg. Sometimes the hole is too big and things fall through the gap. In other instances the hole is too small and the peg is slightly large, but not large enough so that a bit of hammering will nudge it through. The shavings from the peg squeezing into the hole is collateral damage. The control of the hole and the pegs are based upon our human judgement, which at times has emotion to it. We create these rules so people won’t feel a certain way.

A machine doesn’t exactly care about that feel. A machine just exists, and as long as it has power, it does. It does everything and anything.

The destruction some folks think will occur seems like a far ways out. The machine’s way of thinking and systematic approach will begin to permeate its process that will overlay the human training. This process which I call “The Permeation” will happen at an extremely slow pace. The permeation of pure intellect, which some dictionaries define as the opposite of emotion, is what will change society. Humans will begin to rationalize like machines and solve problems in similar fashion.

This permeation is already evident at subtle and extreme levels. Most people of high intelligence think in a way that moves toward solutions first before considering emotions. This is the case because emotion is a contrast of causing complex solutions form happening, while simultaneously creating wonderful solutions. That is one reason why many societal issues do not get solved and linger for generations.

The permeation will cull some of the emotional responses and we will move back a notch in the ways that human society used to solve problems. Society will move back to the old notions of an eye for an eye, which in intellectual terms can generate many viable solutions.

Obviously, that method cannot solve every solution, however, there are some instances that it works, yet our collective society does not have the will to execute. Here is an ultra-extreme example. in 1998, here in San Diego, a little boy was murdered in a public restroom. That little kid went to use the restroom and a young man killed him for no reason. The boy’s aunt was standing right outside the restroom while this happened and it was so quiet that she didn’t realize something was wrong and only went to check after a long period of time had elapsed.

The criminal, a young homeless man from out-of-town who had serious mental health issues that should have deemed him unfit to be a part of society, openly admitted his guilt and instability. That should have been an easy solution. A jury decided that he should be incarcerated rather than sentenced to death. Eventually, in 2011, he was found hanged in his cell and a victim of alleged suicide. For over ten years he lived in a small cell and was fed and clothed.

A permeated society will not allow those types of transgressions. That young man was given the opportunity to live because of a judicial system that values life because we live in a system that in most cases values life. That value is the way that order and stability is created.

Artificial Intelligence and its inevitable permeation through society will elevate our value of regard for life and systemic stability while providing balance through intelligent exceptions and consequences. Some people, including experts believe that the machines will take over. In some instances they could very well be correct. Their notions are only partially true because any destruction that occurs will still be human related unless a machine builds a bomb and launches it on a totally automated machine rocket that humans had no idea that was created. Far fetched? Maybe. Fantastical? Maybe.

Humans can be an indecisive species. We think and feel and take action. Sometimes we don’t take action because we require consensus. One aspect of the Permeation and its influence on human society is the fear of scapegoating which obstructs human involvement in achieving real solutions. The Permeation will begin with the A.I. being introduced in a massive way. This has already occurred. The next step is the integration of human trust. We are not quite there yet, but this process will unfold just like the enormous integration of the World Wide Web.

People will begin to trust A.I. They already trust the internet. To exhibit this we need to look no father than fake news. Remember, fake news is still news. Fake news is only fake to you, but it is still news to someone else. To them, your news is fake. Therefore, we can infer that trust in systems is established at various levels. Public trust is a personal thing that networked within a collective society.

Once trust is established through the public, A.I. will be integrated into the world’s political systems. A.I. will initially be used as the thing that will solve our problems. Eventually, A.I. will be activated as the most worthy scapegoat to enact some of societies most difficult regulations. A.I. is the perfect scapegoat because it does not exist. Activists will begin to attack data centers and power grids which is equivalent to throwing a rock at a tank. That is what humans do when they rebel against a system that is too large to dispel. We often turn to petty things and begin to revolve our thoughts around revenge that evolves into magical thinking and various biases.

Many people see A.I. as a civilization demolisher. A.I. is actually a sort of devolutionary device which will incorporate many aspects of historical contexts into an ultra modern world. Maybe the movie Blade Runner was right. When you look at a scene where the characters are navigating this futuristic urban megalopolis, filled with many elements written in Chinese based characters. You would instantly think “oh no, America is going to become China!” I am sure that many people saw that in the film.

When I think about those prophetic scenes and integrate the current state of A.I. with the notion of devolutionary events, I see A.I. taking us back to the best ideals of Feudal Japan. The society was simple. The borders were so secure that ships were not permitted to dock for the direct reason that they did not want the society to be corrupted by outside influence. The society was extremely structured and built upon a formal set of rigorous values and traditions. That society had its flaws but they believed in devotion, respect, honor, and humility. The culture was based upon one’s station in life, however, you could be born to a poor farming family and rise to be the ruler of a nation.

A class of warriors who honored and obeyed the ultimate rulers, served as the military, provincial political, economic, and judiciary branch. That executive class protected society while serving justice to the public and themselves.

This feudal society also valued nature and saw nature as beautiful and important to the world. The warrior class had the ability to appreciate these things and having a sensitivity to nature and life was not stigmatized as it is today.

America have a vision to be like that. We want to protect our borders and land without debate. We want a respectful and honorable society. Many want a warrior class which embodies that level of honor and decorum. Unfortunately, we are quite a ways from that. In that Feudal warrior class, dishonor would entail ritual suicide which could be levied for a variety of reasons, big and small.

Another important issue to consider is that of corruption. If we have a system of A.I. that produces the proper processes and solutions, even if they can be deemed somewhat harsh, in addition to a corrupt system of A.I. then artificial intelligence will be balanced and have that type of balanced effect on society. We are unsure if A.I. can be corrupt or corrupted on its own. If A.I. is truly just then many of our ills will be solved. If A.I. is corrupted, then societies will be intelligent but still reside divided.

Input, Output; Garbage in, Garbage out. With A.I. as an integrated system in society, The input will be contained with the system. The permeation will result in inputs no longer being a manual process and the A.I. system will learn everything and act on its own. In this case, the A.I. will understand that the most important element to control will be the inputs which will result from a explosion of outputs. With that, the system would attempt to solve everything so that all inputs would be deemed at whatever level of expectation is established.

Whatever it may be, A.I. will take us back to the best of times if we apply if properly. As our society permeates, we will have the ability to solve difficult issues. We will be able to solve the difficult issues that are complex and arrive at many outcomes, step by step.

How do we clean up the streets of San Francisco?

How do we effectively rid our society of powerful drugs like Fentanyl?

How do we eradicate illicit drugs from society strictly through the reduction of demand?

How do we bolster our education system and allow learning to be a motivating factor for all societies?

How do we quell war?

How do we generate the most sustainable power?

How do we end hunger and access to water?

How do we expand beyond the Earth? Do we need to?

How do we cure disease?

How can humans live forever?

Do we want to live forever?

Why?