The debate between AI creating a utopia or a dystopia is well documented. It is an argument that is still raging. There are a lot of smart people on both sides of the discussion who bring up valid points.
So where does this mean we are heading in the future?
One thing I think most agree upon is that we are not going to reverse the trend. The move towards more AI is only going to continue. We see it entering almost every industry. Many of the projects being worked upon have great promise and actually can help humanity. Technology is something that tends to move humanity forward.
Personally, I think AI is going to a large part of what brings humanity to the utopia level. That said, it will not be without issues. I am one who believes in technological unemployment. It is something that I feel will catch hundreds of millions by surprise. Our global leaders are not really discussing this meaning that humanity is going to be caught off guard. By the time people realize what is happening, it will be too late.
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We are going to see AI enhancing our abilities. I am not a man versus machine because I believe we are going to be blending with them. We already see hundreds of ways people are enhanced by artificial devices, some within their own bodies. This will only continue.
The big challenge, as I see it, is who is in control of the AI. As we know, the usual suspects, Google, Facebook, Alibaba, and different governments are all pursuing this realm with a ton of zeal. I do not think I am alone in stating that I do not trust any of these entities to control anything this powerful. These institutions proved repeatedly how they are actually working against humanity.
Enter blockchain.
One of the reasons why I am so high on this technology is because it is an avenue for humanity to start to take back freedom from the elites who are manipulating everything. Cryptocurrency is the first step since it enables people to step outside the traditional financial arena.
Over the last few years, the discussion about data is becoming a more important topic. Blockchain will hopefully provide us with a solution there. Since we are dealing with decentralized systems, there is a chance that people will be given control of their data. This is a major step in not only breaking the stranglehold of the elites but to put AI in the hands of individuals.
One thing that AI needs, at least at this time, is a ton of data. This is what feeds the computers to run machine learning programs. Some AI experts believe this is only an iteration and that another stage of AI development, stage 3, will have to be created. Without getting into that debate, controlling our data is paramount.
The other aspect to this is that AI needs to be on blockchain itself. This is what will allow the masses to ultimately access it. I have been following SingularityNet which is a blockchain based AI program that had an ICO earlier in the year (or maybe at the end of last year). The entire premise is for AI to be open and available to anyone who needs it with the developers paid/rewarded in cryptocurrency.
Here we see how powerful blockchain is for humanity. When something is decentralized, it is impossible for one entity to own or control it. This is a preferred future for AI, in my opinion, than in the hands of Google and Facebook (or equally as bad, governments).
Blockchain excels because it reduces friction in transactions. Thus far, we see it mostly in the financial realm. However, a few areas that it is garnering attention is with energy and healthcare. Both of these are also well suited to have roadblocks removed which slow the pace of progress.
One of the most notable technologies recently to receive attention is autonomous vehicles. Odds are these will be commonplace within the next 10 years. Blockchain is also applicable here. To start, autonomous vehicles will most likely end up as individual DAOs. Hence, they will operate on a daily basis using cryptocurrency. Not only will the fares utilize the token but the car itself will pay for charging and maintenance using it.
There is another aspect to this that many do not discuss yet is of equal concern. We know centralized systems get hacked. This causes a lot of problems when data is stolen. It potentially could cause a lot more problems when an automobile is hacked and taken for a joy ride. How do you prevent this? Decentralization could be a solution.
Blockchain could be used to decentralized the operation of the vehicle. In fact, a number of vehicles could end up being the nodes for a decentralized system with each running the software for the network. In a city environment, this could amount to thousands of nodes all running the software.
I certainly would trust this a lot more than I do Google.
Thus far, blockchain has one main application tied to it: cryptocurrency. This will not be the last. There are going to be many more things hung on these networks that really improve society. If we can keep proceeding along this path and pushing decentralization, we are going to see control shift back to individual people. This is one of the major reasons to be persistent in pushing this industry forward.
The mega institutions out there that keep slamming this technology are well aware of the threat it possesses. Anyone who is on the side of humanity and freedom can see the challenge ahead. Yet, unlike most of the last few thousand years, there is hope.
Our job is to make sure they cannot put the horse back in the proverbial barn.
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Full disclosure: I am not an investor in SingulairtyNet nor is what I saw about it financial advice.