Artificial Intellgence begins to take over

                Technology has developed profoundly over the year which has been beneficial and not so beneficial through its uses. The development of technology today is advanced in a way the artificial intelligence now exists. In the article "Facebook Is Already Using Its Artificial Intelligence On You", it is confirmed that while using Facebook on a daily basis, we are working with artificial intelligence. The artificial intelligence that Facebook offers is the capability of recognizing interaction and the content that being delivered throughout the feed, such as liking statuses posted by other people. I am personally not a daily Facebook user, but there are times I am curious and want to look through my feed to see what has been occurring around the world. I remember that when an account is created, it asks many questions such as; what are your interest? what is your favorite movie? favorite book to read? ...etc. Its quite incredible to see how Facebook processes a persons interest to find common preferences. The software truly goes an extra mile to keep the user engaged on their account by being presented with similar preferences to theirs. Like Facebook, I would say another social media that uses a similar form of tracking a persons interest would be Instagram. On Instagram we are provided the option to explore our interests and are able to view pictures that current friends have posted or even liked themselves on their own account. Not only are we capable of searching almost anything we are interested in on Instagram, but we are also given the capability of viewing what our current friends are interested in or viewing from their likes. The article has proven that all current Facebook users can now be recalled as a post-human through the use of AI in this social media. Without a doubt we are all surrounded by different forms of technology, and just like I was unaware that by using Facebook I was already interacting with a form of artificial intelligence, means that there are more programs we are engaged in that may now also be considered artificial intelligence. Although Facebook functions with artificial intelligence I still believe it to be considered a social network due to the amount of communication and sharing done between many individuals. Although Facebook goes above and beyond to keep the user engaged by finding similar preferences,  people we may know are also suggested and that is how former acquaintances, friends, or family connect.
            In "5 Very Smart People Who Think Artificial Intelligence Could Bring The Apocalypse", Venor Vinge shares with the readers his intake on artificial intelligence. Vinge believes in a theory of "singularity" which describes the interaction between robot and humans. He believes that through the competitive rise of technology to benefit the economy, military, and even artistic is so compelling that the extinction of human race is definitely a possibility. I completely agree. The more advanced that technology becomes, the more technology is relied on. Humans are definitely being defeated by technology. The more technology advances, the more a humans own mind and intelligence is being over ruled. There was a report that revealed "65% of U.S. consumers are spending more time on their computers than with their significant others"(Technology Is Taking Over Americans' Lives). The article reveals how engaged humans are in technology and the interests it carries on a person. The study revealed proves how we have became post-human by being attentive to our technological devices than our own loved ones. Technology may seem so fascinating and intriguing to ones eye, but in the end the harm it causes may be inevitable.

FBI vs. iPhone

In respects to the Apple company, i completely agree that "Citizens, and iPhone users, have a legitimate interest in keeping the data on their phone private and secure". Although Apple allows citizens the right to privacy I don't not agree that apple should refrain from allowing the FBI from viewing information that may be lingering in ONE device and in a cellular device that will no longer be capable of being used by its original owner. Putting myself in Tim Cook's, I would not refrain the access of the device to the FBI. I would grant the FBI access to the data currently lingering on the device but would be hesitant if they demanded to retrieve encrypted data using a code in the system which will grant them access data to any iPhone. All iPhone owners have the right to privacy as citizens, and should not be affected by the investigation still going on. If the FBI turns out winning the right of access to the encrypted data, they would be violating Apple's right to allow iPhone users to keep data on the iPhone private and secure. If Apple's stand against the FBI gets its way, the rights that will be impacted by their refusal will be that of privacy of all iPhone owners, and the demands by the government "would undermine the very freedoms and liberty our government is meant to protect". As stated in a prior reading dealing with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it states in article three of the preamble that "Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person". Apple's stand on protecting iPhone owners data falls under this article by granting the person the right of security. These specific human rights "lays down obligations of Governments to act in certain ways or to refrain from certain acts, in order to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of individuals or groups"(United Nations Human Rights). Overall, the government and investigators definitely have the right to view what is on this terrorists phone in a way of protecting citizens from more terrorist acts from occurring, but I agree they do not have the right to force apple to create a backdoor into the security system that will affect all iPhones and the privacy of their owners. I strongly believe Apple has the right to stand up for all their iPhone users privacy in the end. .

Ethics of Artificial Intelligence

I personally believe that all weapons violate the Martens Clause because of their purpose and usage. The Martens Clause "bans weapons that violate the "principles of humanity and the dictates of public conscience" (416). Weapons are specifically made to cause collateral damage, whether on purpose or as defense, and no matter what the reason may be behind its usage, a person or persons will be murdered. The creation of lethal autonomous weapon systems will also violate the Martens Clause due to the fact that it may "violate fundamental principles of human dignity by allowing machines whom to kill" (416). By creating such AI weapons, we are putting our own lives and other human beings life's at risk by allowing machinery/robots to decide whom to terminate and under what circumstance. Like the example provided in the article, these robots may be programmed to terminate any individual performing "threatening behavior" and may result in murders of innocent civilians. Although the article mentions great benefits from the creations of these AI technologies, such as systems that "could help the elderly, improve health care, make jobs safer and more efficient, and allow us to explore space or beneath the ocean", we are going to need to rely on all this technology with knowing an error could occur at any given moment. You may be exploring the ocean when suddenly what your traveling in stops with no way back to a safe surface. This examples leads to the reason that all machinery created must have meaningful human control. In my perspective, having meaningful human control over technology means an individual whom is using a certain type of technology is using it for a greater/meaningful purpose and knows how the technology completely functions and how to keep it under control. An example of what meaningful human control means to me ca be seen in surgeons whom use different types of advanced tools to perform surgeries on individuals for a meaningful/life-saving reason and have complete control on the tools and how it functions. The scope of the four conversations of the article is the pros and cons of the development of AI weapons. It begins with the violation of humanity into having representation and leaders to convince the public and ends with the benefits AI weapons produce and the fields it may improve. The fields that are impacted by these AI robotics are mainly the medical field, the military, and the air force including NASA and its space craft. A great example of how AI robots may violate humanity is displayed in the film The Terminator where an advanced cyborg made out of liquid metal is destined to terminate an individual. A computer system known as Skynet, gained self-awareness and realized its extent to its abilities leading it to want to exterminate the human race and their "usefulness". This film is a great example on how artificial intelligence violates humanity and how impossible it may be to control once it has gained its own self-awareness.

In the beginning of 2001: A Space Odyssey, I believe it is appropriate to compare us humans to the apes. The apes seemed frightened and curious when they noticed a long black rectangular figure in the middle of their environment. Humans can be compared to these apes through their reaction and emotion. When we are introduced to new technology we are won over by its physic, which attracts us and sometimes just makes us want to have it. We may not necessarily know how this new technology in front of us functions but we become curious and begin using it and observing it to figure out what it may be. The apes were at first frightened/furious when they woke up and realized there was something there that wasn't before, but soon enough they became curious and began to surround the object and feel it. This is exactly how humans are with technology. We may not know what it is or how it functions, but our curiosity overcomes us and so we must own it and know how it functions. We can also compare the use of technology in the film to recent technology today. Although we do not have programed computers that speak to us constantly like the computer in the film, Hal 9000, we do have programmed phones that respond to our voices and do as we say, Siri. It is quiet frightening to see how Hal began to act and how he wanted to demolish the humans aboard because he didn't want to be turned off. He began to observe their ever move and was determined get rid of the humans. It is unbelievable to see how machinery programmed by humans may just suddenly begin doing actions on their own. It makes me double think on how that is possible? How can a programmed computer suddenly build a mind of its own and make decisions for itself? The advancement of technology today is definitely frightening.

In Hayles  reading, I can conclude how technology has advanced highly and how it is increasingly affecting humans. In the Macy Conference on Cybernetics, it is stated that they view human beings as "information-processing entities who are essentially similar to intelligent machines"(pg14). The technology that has advanced today has grown capable of obtaining human characteristics and processing human actions through machines referred to as "robots".  It is very likely that as this kind of technology continues to advance the less humans there will be in the work force because machines will begin to take over manual work. In the reading, Hayles defines humanism as a form of post-humanism due to the advancement on technology and how different it has changed from prior years. I would define humanism as strictly being a human. By this I mean that a person lives and experiences the outcomes of life. A human is given the opportunity of making own decisions for themselves and becoming a part of society. Although this may be the way I view humanism, Hayles strictly views humanism as a connection between a human and technology. Our beliefs on humanism differ because I view it as a natural way of being human and living life while she views it as a strict bond of the human body and a technological machine. Even though it is difficult to accept, I will consider myself a post-human because of the amount of technology I am surrounded by and by the amount of use I encounter each day. Technology will only continue to develop over the years and eventually cause a drastic change in the world. A quote that caught my attention in the reading stated, "The human essence is freedom from the wills of other, and freedom is a function of possession"(pg3). After reading it a couple times, it is still difficult to truly understand. My understanding from this quote is that a human is free in the world, free in owning material and free in developing but that freedom becomes a possession to technology. We become addicted to the advancement of technology only craving more until we have completely been possessed by the addiction.