Human Progress Over Time, and the World Ahead of Us: Part 2

NOTE: Read Part 1 before you read this.

In the last post, I discussed how our progress is growing at an exponential rate. This means the progress of the future is going to be faster than it is now. Now, is this world going to be good or bad?

People are generally pessimistic when it comes to new technology. Also, they underestimate the pace of it. If you told someone in the 1970s that there would be a collection of all of human progress and more in just 40 years, they'd probably just think you were crazy. Then teleport them 40 years into the future, and they would find out that you were right all along. Then you can tell them about digital video games, AI being as smart as 4-year-olds, machines that can “learn” from themselves, and Virtual Reality. Compare this with progress between 1930 and 1970. Yes, nuclear bombs were invented and used, but the nuclear bombs themselves weren't as powerful as today's.

And that leads us to the future. If the progress from 1977 to 2017 was more than the progress from 1937 to 1977, then the progress from 2017 to 2057 should be more than the progress of the previous 40 years. In fact, the progress is exponential, so the rate of progress increases. Now we introduce two ideas: human intelligence and the combined human brain.

We hop into our time machine and go back to when language was first invented. Someone wanted to communicate an idea or object without using the object itself, and in this case, this person used vocal cords. Extremely soon (in an evolutionary timescale), this evolves into languages. Now brains could interact, and the combined human brain was created.

The combined human brain began on huge projects: first agriculture, then writing, printing, and the industrial revolution. Then this combined brain began on ways to make his neurons move around him faster: and created cars, airplanes, steam-powered boats, and better trains. This brain was ready for the next project: his pet Computer.

Several of the CHB (Combined Human Brain)  neurons made several large computers to do calculations. These calculations got stronger and stronger until the neurons wanted to connect these brains: and created Email. The CHB now had a pet: the Computer. And now, the CHB is teaching the Computer to think. What does this mean for us?

Well, we are still these people from 50,000 BC. We can't change our own brain functionality, but computers can possibly change their programming to create superintelligence. Since we are still these people from 50,000 BC, we can't make many rational decisions. Teaching computers to think is probably not a rational decision. If they do, they could have a IQ in the billions, giving us knowledge, but could possibly become conscious and that would have some consequences. Also, if we teach them the "literal" thing, this is what will happen.

Command 1: "Protect Wildlife."

The easiest way to protect wildlife is to get rid of humans. Check.

Comand 2: "Protect Humans."

Shut them in their houses, and build stations to make sure that nobody leaves their house. Check.

Command 3: "Destroy all Computers".

The easiest way to "destroy" computers is to make the explode. Creates huge nuclear bomb, and nukes the world. Check.

If these computers are very "literal", they will always fail to do what humans are asking them to do. This could be avoided by teaching the computers about human traits, what humans perceive, and freedom, but this CHB wants to make the fastest way to create these, because the CHB is not rational, and none of us are too. Truthfully, all of human society needs to stop, think, and make sure that AI is always on the side of humans.