EXPANSION OF COMMENTS POSTED TO AN ARTICLE IN THE GUARDIAN
Robots for sex already exist although they are quite
primitive, but who can doubt they’ll be rapidly improved?
However, that aspect of robots seems a rather minor part of
what is happening. We have a huge revolution, resembling nothing we’ve ever
seen, coming at us in not very long.
It will be a great turning point for everyone on earth, and I'm
almost glad I'll not be here to see it.
There will be no work for most people, certainly all unskilled
and manual workers, including farmers as things are developing for example now
in Japan.
But all skilled workers and the professions are not exempt.
They will just take a little longer. All the professions can be robotized
within some decades. Doctors, lawyers, accountants, you name it, machines will
do a better job, and, in some cases, already do.
And who will own the robots? That’s a huge question, full of
implications for a society resembling ancient ones with a small exalted elite
and a great mass of nobodies under them.
And why will the elites share any wealth produced with the
rest of the people?
Will the owners want to see the great mob of humanity gone?
In the end, perhaps robots will assume control themselves,
not requiring the elites.
Once artificial intelligence resembles our kind of
intelligence, and there is little reason to regard it as staying at some level
of ability forever, it may turn out just to be so.
Will the robots want to be rid of us altogether?
I do think robots are the next major stage of evolution,
organic life then serving no purpose.
If we do soon discover highly intelligent life on other
worlds, either through their contacting us or visiting us, I think it likely it
will not be human or even organic.
Readers will definitely enjoy: http://chuckmanrobots.blogspot.ca/
