At the scientific lecture I attended today, the speaker rephrased the term "AI" in a way I appreciated and admired.

[NNadir]

She called it "Augmented Intelligence." She clearly stated that it is unlike human intelligence, but that it can do things humans cannot do, which is to process and make sense of huge data sets so as to make them useful and subject to interpretation.

I rather liked that; I agree.

[anciano]

1. Agree....

I have found AI to be an incredibly efficient tool for obtaining information, evaluating ideas, and enhancing creativity.

[hunter]

2. What's that have to do with making creepy naked photos of women without their consent...

... students cheating on term papers, intellectual property theft, firing human customer service reps for AI reps that offer no real customer service, misleading and idiotic YouTube videos... and so on?

With any luck this AI bubble will collapse and actual scientists will be able to get their hands on these machines for pennies on the dollar.

I don't think the scientists extolling the usefulness of these machines have spent much time spelunking through the sewers of the internet.

[NNadir]

3. I think it has nothing to do with faked photos. She was discussing it in the...

...context of analyzing data from 75 years of plasma physics experiments collected all over the world.

There are no human technologies that are immune from abuse.

[hunter]

4. "There are no human technologies that are immune from abuse." Of course not.

Fentanyl has some very important uses in a medical setting but we don't have to celebrate the people who are selling it on the streets or depend upon them to stock our pharmacies.

Your "Augmented Intelligence" isn't the AI that's being sold on the streets.

[NNadir]

5. It is not "my" augmented intelligence" but what I am applauding is the use...

...of high end computation in service to humanity.

I am not "celebrating" street sales of anything, nor do I feature the sociological insight to address that sociological problem related to the abuse of what may be, in the form of computational power, planet saving technology or for things like fentanyl that matter addressing dire medical issues like cruel debilitating pain.

In my family, people tend to die of cancer. What I know of my genetics, suggests I may do so as well. When the time comes, I hope I'll have merciful access to fentanyl as needed, irrespective of what happens on the street.

I feel similarly about people needing to process large data sets in nuclear physics, the point of my post. In particular, without this capability, energy intensive as it is, we will be ill equipped to do what is possible to save what's left to save of the planetary atmosphere.

I think my record at DU indicates I am a technical person with very little insight to solving sociological problems. I know they exist, but I think it unwise to elevate them above all other concerns.

Nuanced rather than knee jerk reactions seem to be, to my mind, required.