BY CRYSTAL STRANGER, CO-FOUNDER, PEACOUNTS ON JUNE 12TH, 2018 AT 5:30 AM
Sophia the AI Robot by Hanson Robotics / The National
There is a lot of talk these days about how blockchain and artificial intelligence(AI) are working together to create a new future. But nobody has asked an AI yet what they think about blockchain technology, and I like to get my information directly from the source. Thus, I am going to the Blockchain Economic Forum (BEF) in San Francisco this June, to hear about this topic from the most well spoken of all AIs’ to date, Sophia the Robot.
Built by Hanson Robotics in Hong Kong, Sophia has become a cultural icon with her empathic features and witty banter. Videos of her speeches often go viral online, and she has had fascinating things to say, especially when it comes to helping people have a better understanding of robotics, and if a Terminator type future is possible.
Founder and CEO of Hanson Robotics, David Hanson, had his background designing sculptures and animatronics for Walt Disney theme parks. In 2005 he wrote the research paper Upending the Uncanny Valley discussing how builders of robots had avoided giving them human forms because of an incorrect assumption that people would find robots built as realistic depictions of humans disturbing.
Hanson Robotics Logo / Wikipedia
Designers worried that if robots took human form, humans may expect too much real human intelligence from, or that a humanoid robot would trigger fears of an AI takeover. The HBO series Westworld focuses on this issue, and raises many questions about how we should treat robots, and what rights AI should have in our society going forward.
Still, I would like to find out for myself how it feels to converse with Sophia, to see how advanced her thinking really is. I wrote another article recently about building responsible AI companies using blockchain, and I have questions I would love to ask an eloquent AI about how blockchain will further the development of AI, especially as the technologies complement one another so well. Thus off to BEF in San Francisco I will go.
BEF is organized by LATOKEN with the stated goal of bridging blockchain with the global economy. This is their third event and the prior events held in Singapore and New York attracted over 1,600 attendees, and it is expected that this four day event in San Francisco will surpass 2,000 participants.
Unlike most cryptocurrency conferences where the focus has been purely on making money by pairing companies and investors, BEF touts a social entrepreneurship focus. Valentin Preobrazhenskiy, CEO of LATOKEN and Chair of BEF Organizing Committee states, “Blockchain can automate elections, courts, state finances and make them more transparent. As a result, 6 billion people will overcome corruption to catch up with the golden billion. This is how emerging economies may grow by $400 trillion. At the same time, the costs of state services in developed countries will likely be halved.”
Will Smith’s date with Sophia The Robot / YouTube / Will Smith
Blockchain and AI are surely the technologies that can create a life of health and equality for every person in the world, especially when paired together. I honestly cannot think of an AI project that would not benefit from the added efficiency blockchain, or from a blockchain project that could not improve with elements of automation provided by AI or machine learning. These two technologies will move hand and hand in the future. And I look forward to hearing from Sophia how she thinks these technologies will impact the future.
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