Lessons about AI from SF, or, why do we fear the artificial intelligent?
When we think and talk about Artificial Intelligence, science fiction scenarios play a significant role in shaping our ideas of futures to come. This is not surprising. Science fiction writers tap into our fascination with the disappearing boundary between human intelligence and the intelligence of our machines. Their stories usually follow one of the following scenarios: 1, man falls in love with his creation (Pygmalion) 2, the artificial intelligent wants to become human, or at least be treated as a human (Pinocchio) or, 3, the artificial created intelligence gets out of control and turns against us (Prometheus or Frankenstein). What can these repetitive narratives really teach us about the AI that is created in today’s laboratories and is being installed in our living environments?
In this lecture about the art & science fiction of Artificial Intelligence I will give answers to a number of thought provoking questions about AI.:
Is intelligence a unique property of living organisms or can man made machines and systems also be truly intelligent?
Can the artificial intelligent feel true love? Or, can the AI be truly sentient?
Why do men fall in love with their robots?
Why do fictional AI machines dream about being human? Or, why do we think they do?
Sources of inspiration: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Star Trek (1979 – ), Star Wars (1977 – ), Isaac Asimov’s Postitronic man (1992), HER (2015), Blade Runner (1982) Metropolis (1927), Ex Machina (2015).
