The world of Artificial Intelligence offers profound benefits to society, along with perilous potential consequences. The outcome of the advancement of Artificial Intelligence likely lies in the hands of those who develop the field. This kind of power comes with numerous ethical questions, as to how far we as a society want to take Artificial Intelligence. Would we prefer a world without disease, or poverty, at the expense of human control over society itself? Important questions such as these are examined through the 2014 film Transcendence, and Greg Bear’s novel Blood Music.
The two works share many similarities when it comes to the idea of future benefits and dangers of Advanced Artificial Intelligence. Self-preservation is a centerpiece of many theories on how future AI will behave. Scientists and futurists alike believe that AI will seek to defend themselves against Human intervention. In Greg Bear’s Blood Music, an attempt at self-preservation is obvious early on. Virgil Ulman, a biotechnologist and the main character of the novel, works for a biochip manufacturer in what has become known as “Enzyme Valley.” Initially, he works on a biochip with the rest of his …show more content…
In both of these cases, that of Will Caster, and of Virgil Ulman, the rapid adaptation of Artificial Intelligence, in an effort to avoid any attempts to prevent its spread, lead to total world domination on the part of the AI. In Blood Music, the AI essentially destroys the human race, and evolves into a being without the need for physical existence. In Transcendence, only another computer program, this time a virus, can stop Will’s AI form, and even then it comes at the cost destroying all forms of technology on earth, due to the reach of Will’s AI in its initial
The two works share many similarities when it comes to the idea of future benefits and dangers of Advanced Artificial Intelligence. Self-preservation is a centerpiece of many theories on how future AI will behave. Scientists and futurists alike believe that AI will seek to defend themselves against Human intervention. In Greg Bear’s Blood Music, an attempt at self-preservation is obvious early on. Virgil Ulman, a biotechnologist and the main character of the novel, works for a biochip manufacturer in what has become known as “Enzyme Valley.” Initially, he works on a biochip with the rest of his …show more content…
In both of these cases, that of Will Caster, and of Virgil Ulman, the rapid adaptation of Artificial Intelligence, in an effort to avoid any attempts to prevent its spread, lead to total world domination on the part of the AI. In Blood Music, the AI essentially destroys the human race, and evolves into a being without the need for physical existence. In Transcendence, only another computer program, this time a virus, can stop Will’s AI form, and even then it comes at the cost destroying all forms of technology on earth, due to the reach of Will’s AI in its initial