Stuxnet Worm - Malware sent to destroy real-world targets ...
Out of context: Reply #7
- Started
- Last post
- 12 Responses
- detritus0
"what form is this intelligence likely to have?"
The really scary thing about the idea of net-emergent AI is that we would have no idea what to look for, no idea when to start looking for it, and even then very probably no inkling that it may have already happened. When it does, it needn't bare any resemblance to anything in our conception.
It might immediately express itself, inadvertantly announcing its existence through its attempts at figuring itself out, throwing proverbial dummies out of the pram - "What happens if I turn that off?... or engage that big red button?... or eat up a little more energy from there?..". Or, perhaps it might come into being with a helathy understanding of its parents - and either hide or decide to take immediate action.
If and when it does happen, it could be the most alien concept Humanity has ever encountered.
Perhaps humanity's great unifier won't drop from the sky threatening global destruction - maybe instead it'll be some irritating bastard who keeps flicking the kettle off when you're trying to make your morning tea. As far as it's concerned - it's saying "hullo!" - as far as Britain's concerned - it's fucking War.
Or, perhaps - despite the connection speeds we think of as giddying are actually quite slow for a neural-like network to develop.
We might live alongside our accidental progeny for a thousand years before even noticing.
We just can't tell. Possibly ever.